TU's Watts, Jackson Named To Preseason Watch Lists

University of Tulsa seniors Trey Watts and Shawn Jackson have been named to the 2013 College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) Preseason Watch Lists. Watts was named to the All-Purpose Performer of the Year Watch List, while Jackson was named to the CFPA Linebacker Trophy Watch List

Watts, a 5-foot-11, 200-pound running back, enters his senior season with 2,186 career rushing yards to rank ninth on the school's all-time rushing chart. He has also caught 58 passes for 757 yards and has totaled 4,189 career all-purpose yards in 37 games played.

In 2012, Watts led the Hurricane in rushing with 1,108 yards and three touchdowns. He has seven career 100-yard rushing games, five of which came during the 2012 campaign. Watts finished the season with an average of 168.5 all-purpose yards per game and totaled five 200+ all-purpose yard games in 2012.

Watts earned second team all-Conference USA honors as a kick returner and honorable mention accolades as a running back a year ago.

He was named the Game MVP and the Offensive MVP of the 2012 AutoZone Liberty Bowl in leading Tulsa to a 31-17 victory over Iowa State. Watts gained 249 all-purpose yards in that game, including a game-high 149 rushing yards.

Jackson, a 6-foot-2, 255-pound linebacker, enters his senior season with 277 tackles, 37 tackles for lost yards, 18 quarterback sacks, 12 pass break-ups and six forced fumbles in 37 career games. He has also scored three defensive touchdowns and has totaled eight double-figure tackle games in his career.

The Tulsa native needs two more sacks to tie the school record of 20 held by Dennis Byrd (1985-88) and Sedrick Clark (1992-95). Jackson also needs three more TFLs to tie Don Blackmon (1976-80) and Sam Rayburn (1999-2002) for the school record of 40 stops for lost yardage.

Jackson had 88 tackles and 10.5 tackles for lost yards for -36 yards in only 10 games last year for the Hurricane. He completed his junior season as the Defensive MVP of the AutoZone Liberty Bowl after tallying nine tackles, two sacks for -8 yards and one forced fumble in a 31-17 victory over Iowa State.

Tulsa opens the 2013 season on Thursday, August 29 in Ohio against the Bowling Green Falcons.