The running back position has been up-and-down for the Tigers since Kenneth Gainwell headed to the NFL, but Ryan Silverfield and the staff are trying to shore up the position group. Following a visit over the weekend, Old Dominion transfer running back Blake Watson announced that he has committed to Memphis.
Watson has been at Old Dominion since 2018, and he has 2,592 yards and 17 touchdowns in 33 games. Although he had only 116 yards as a redshirt freshman, Watson has been very productive over the last two years. In 2021, 1,112 rushing yards and eight touchdowns, and he followed it up with 916 rushing yards, 314 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in 2022.
Over the last two seasons, Watson has averaged 5.5 yards per carry. Although he isn’t a massive running back (5-foot-9, 195 pounds), Watson has a nice blend of speed, power and vision.