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Western Illinois University Athletics

2015 Football Roster

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41 Nikko Watson

  • Position Running Back
  • Height 6-0
  • Weight 250
  • Class Senior
  • Hometown Rock Island, Ill.
  • Highschool Rock Island

Biography

SENIOR (2015): First Team All-MVFC... started the final 11 games of the year... ended his career with the fifth-most rushing yards in program history... sixth in touchdowns and tied for fifth in 100-yard games... ended with the fourth-most rushing attempts by a Leatherneck... rushed for 1,000 yards for the first time in his career and 19th occasion in program history... 1,196 rushing yards this year and 2,844 for his career... 14 TDs on the ground in 2015, and ended his career with 23 touchdowns... averaged 4.3 yards per carry in his career... made his season-debut at Coastal Carolina and rushed for the second-high total in his career... ended with 156 yards on 29 attempts (one shy of his personal-high)... moved into 10th place all-time with his sixth 100-yard rushing game... matched a career-high of two touchdowns scored... his 39-yard run was the longest since his freshman year... averaged 5.4 yards per carry... rushed for a career-high 174 yards and two touchdowns (on 27 attempts) versus Southern Illinois... named MVFC Offensive Player of the Week by College Sports Madness... added 139 rushing yards on 24 attempts with a touchdown against South Dakota... career-high 35 rushing attempts at UNI, helping him to a game-high 115 yards in the victory... his 35 attempts were the most by a Leatherneck running back in six years... caught three passes for 28 yards... team-leading 53 rushing yards on 18 attempts at Illinois State, including a 1-yard touchdown... had a 3-yard reception... rushed for 49 yards and matched a career-high of two touchdowns against Youngstown State... limited to one rushing yard at North Dakota State in just four carries... caught a 12-yard pass... turned in his 11th career 100-yard rushing game at Indiana State, totaling 153 rushing yards... set a career-high of three touchdowns in the overtime win... made it two straight games with 150-plus yards when he rushed for 163 yards and a touchdown versus South Dakota State... 1-yard TD run in the first overtime... averaged 5.8 yards per carry... surpassed 1,000 rushing yards on the season in the game... 152 rushing yards on 34 attempts (4.5 ypc) and a touchdown at Dayton... recorded his 13th career 100-yard game... rushed for 41 yards on 18 attempts at Illinois State in the second round of the playoffs... graduated in December with his bachelor's degree.

SENIOR (2014): Sat out the 2014 season and used his redshirt season.

JUNIOR (2013): Played in 10 games and started seven times... totaled 503 yards on 139 attempts (both second-high totals on the team)... five rushing TDs, averaging 3.6 yards per carry... in the season-opener against Hampton, recorded 108 net rushing yards on 27 attempts (6th career 100-yard game)... recorded his fifth career touchdown in the victory... finished with 55 yards on 13 attempts and a TD in the win over Quincy... recorded 26 rushing yards on 13 attempts at Minnesota... recorded 68 yards on 13 rushing attempts at UNLV, averaged 5.8 yards per carry... totaled 96 yards on 22 attempts and scored a 1-yard touchdown against South Dakota... rushed for 23 yards on nine attempts at Illinois State... returned to action against Missouri State and gained 11 yards on three attempts... rushed for 18 yards on six attempts against Southern Illinois... career-high two rushing TDs at Indiana State... netted 69 yards on 21 attempts... rushed 12 times for 31 yards at Northern Iowa.

SOPHOMORE (2012): Played in all 11 games... team-leading 660 rushing yards on 164 attempts (4.0 apc)... scored a touchdown... had the team's longest run of the year, a 32-yarder... registered 100 rushing yards for the second straight game, and teamed with Caulton Ray for 13th time in Western history with two 100-yard rushers in the Butler game... tallied game-high 109 yards on 25 attempts... rushed for 70 yards and a touchdown against Indianapolis... averaged 5.0 yards per carry that game... game-high 76 rushing yards on 17 attempts at Iowa State... team-leading 60 rushing yards on 14 attempts against Illinois State... season-high 126 yards on 21 attempts at South Dakota, with a season-long 32-yard rush in the win... he was named Honorable Mention performer by the College Football Performance Awards... 27 rush yards at South Dakota State... 33 rushing yards against Indiana State... gained 72 yards on 17 attempts at Missouri State, surpassing 1,000 career rushing yards... team-leading 52 rushing yards on 14 attempts versus UNI... 12 rushing yards on seven attempts versus Youngstown State... totaled 23 rushing yards at Southern Illinois.

FRESHMAN (2011): Pressed into duties during game #8 due to injuries at running back... totaled 485 yards on 90 attempts (5.4 apc) with three TDs... averaged 121 rushing yards in his four games, which would rank him 12th nationally if he met the statistic minimums... first collegiate game rushed for 149 yards on 30 carries and a TD at Youngstown... 60 yards and a TD at Illinois State... team season-high 170 yards against SDSU on 29 attempts... finished year with team-high 106 yards on 16 attempts against NDSU... teamed with Caulton Ray in the NDSU game to become the 12th set of teammates to each rush for 100 yards in a game in Western history.

CAREER-HIGH RUSHING YARDS: 170 vs. South Dakota State (11/12/11)
CAREER-HIGH ATTEMPTS: 30 at Youngstown State (10/29/11)
CAREER-HIGH TOUCHDOWNS: 2 at Indiana State (11/16/13)

HIGH SCHOOL: Totaled 1,800 rushing yards and 24 touchdowns his senior year... earned First Team All-State, First Team All-Conference and First Team All-Metro honors... Quad City Metro Player of the Year... also earned Offensive Player of the Year award in the Western Big Six Conference... during his junior year rushed for six touchdowns and 900 yards on the ground... picked up First Team All-Conference and All-Area honors... as a sophomore helped Rock Island to an 11-1 record and quarterfinals in the state playoffs... rushed for 400 yards and two touchdowns... joining the Leathernecks along with high school teammate Larry Harris... played for coach Vic Boblett.

MAJOR: Management

Statistics

Season:
2015

Season Statistics

Season Statistics

No statistics available for this season.

Career Statistics

There are no statistics available for this player.

Historical Player Information

  • 38

    2011Redshirt

    Running Back
    6'0" 240 lbs
    38
  • 38

    2012Sophomore

    Running Back
    6'0" 240 lbs
    38
  • 41

    2013Junior

    Running Back
    6'0" 250 lbs
    41
  • 41

    2015Senior

    Running Back
    6'0" 250 lbs
    41