UMass QB Pop Watson Drawing Attention Before Taking A Snap
Pop Watson is already making impressions on and off the field as the Minutemen open spring practice.
If the players didn’t fully grasp the kind of attention transfer quarterback Pop Watson would bring to the UMass football program, one of its stars found out during a recent trip to the mall.
“TJ Magee told me the story that they were at the mall the other day and they couldn’t stop two, three stores without taking a picture,” head coach Joe Harasymiak relayed during his press conference to open spring ball on Tuesday.
“It’s awesome. We need that. We need local. We need Mass. guys, we need people that love this place.”
A former national recruit and Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year who was once committed to Nebraska before landing at Virginia Tech, Watson is the most high-profile transfer of the many Harasymiak and his staff brought in this offseason.
And the former Springfield Central High School star adds that local connection as a Western Mass. native.
“I think it brings excitement to the community,” Harasymiak continued.
For Harasymiak, Watson’s recruitment was as much about relationships as it was about football.
Once Watson entered the portal, UMass made him a priority and stayed consistent in its approach.
“It’s just about staying in contact,” Harasymiak said. “The more and more you stay in contact, the more and more you can get people to visit and be around. So it eventually led to his official visit.”
The official visit went well enough that shortly afterward, Watson and his mother called Harasymiak around 9:30 one evening to deliver the news that he was coming to Amherst. The coach remembers the call clearly.
“I couldn’t yell, my kids were asleep,” he said. “I walked into the garage and I said, ‘All right, we recruited at a high level. We got a big-time kid to come back home.’”
For a program coming off an 0-12 season, moments like that carry weight and are symbolic of the transfer class and the high school recruiting class UMass signed this offseason.
“You’ve got to start somewhere,” Harasymiak said. “I think we did that with our freshman class and I think we’re doing that in the portal.”
A 5-foot-11, 200-pound redshirt junior, Watson brings more than just a big name from the area.
“If you’ve ever met his mom and dad and his family…when they have a foundation that has been there and you’re the son of a coach, it brings a lot to the table,” Harasymiak said, referring to the fact that Watson’s father, Bill, is the head football and basketball coach at Central.
Watson’s leadership qualities have been obvious already to Harasymiak with how he’s carried himself within the program.
“Everybody gravitates toward him,” Harasymiak said. “He wants to be front and center.”
Watson has already established himself as that guy in the weight room and around the team during offseason workouts.
“I remember when we were testing him the last Friday, he went up to (strength coach George) Greene and asked him if the team could come up on him on his rack,” Harasymiak said. “That’s big time, those little things.”
Watson’s desire to win has also stood out.
“He’s a leader,” Harasymiak said. “He’s extremely competitive in everything he does.”
While the off-field presence has been evident, Harasymiak saw encouraging signs on the field during the first day of spring practice.
Watson showed patience early in team periods, waiting for his shot.
“I loved how he checked the ball down,” Harasymiak said. “He’s going to be smart. He’s going to check the ball down and do what he needs to do.”
That approach paid off later in practice when Watson connected with wide receiver TY Harding over the top for a deep touchdown.
As Watson works through the transition back home, Harasymiak acknowledged the potential pressure that can come with it, but believes it is something the quarterback is ready to handle.
A program that is desperate for success and a player who is desperate to prove himself feels like a perfect match.
“We’ve both got skin in this game now,” Harasymiak said.
“He wants to come back home and he wants to get it done for us.”
Your one-stop-shop for all your sports marketing needs… Owned and Operated by UMASS Grads.
We specialize in providing top-quality marketing & printing services for coaches, athletic directors, and sports marketing professionals.
Get Fan Ready!