(KBTX) – Former A&M Consolidated state champion quarterback Jeff Watson died at age 50 in Waco.
Watson was a sophomore quarterback for the Tigers during the 1991 state championship season. Consol capped off a perfect 14-0 season with a 35-16 win over Carthage for the UIL 4A state title, the school’s lone state championship. Ross Rogers coached him during a dominant run of four straight 14-win seasons from 1989-1992 (although Watson was in 8th grade when that run started in 1989).
Watson went on to play at Baylor from 1994-1997. He’s 9th all-time on Baylor’s passing yards list with 5,531 yards. He threw 30 career touchdowns for the Bears.
College Station assistant coach Kyle Walsh was Watson’s teammate at Consol. He was impressed with a young sophomore quarterback leading the Tigers to a state championship.
“He was a fierce competitor as evidenced by his many athletic accomplishments, but he combined that with a great sense of humor and was a really fun teammate,” Walsh said. “He was kind-hearted and knew how to make those around him laugh and feel good about themselves. This news is extremely hard for all of us on that team who loved Jeff and his family.”
Watson followed behind all-state quarterback Tommy Preston, who started Consol’s dominant run in 1989. Preston signed with Texas A&M, and Walsh describes Watson as having the confidence to step into that spot from day one and having “grit to overcome some rough games early on that season.”
The former Tiger is sixth all-time in the state of Texas with 1,027 career pass attempts.
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