Give the kid credit, he called it.
Solomon Watkins took his first collegiate carry for a 34-yard touchdown, giving Pittsburg State a 7-0 lead en route to a 14-3 win over Chadron State on Saturday at Carnie Smith Stadium.
“It’s funny because I told all my coaches in practice that once I get my first college carry, then I’m scoring,” he said. “Then coach (Steve) Rampy said ‘okay, go get it.’”
The play came on the game’s opening drive when the Gorillas offense was clicking. Jon Thomas took the opening kickoff 48 yards to the Chadron 45-yard line. Terrence Issac took the next two carries for 11 yards, then the Gorillas called Watkins’ number. Watkins ran a counter play through a hole in the line. He took it down the far sideline and outran the Chadron secondary.
“I just took it to the left,” he said. “Briceton Wilson and Derrick Fisher had great blocks. I just followed them and I was there.”
Watkins (5-feet-10, 185 pounds) redshirted last year after coming to Pittsburg State from Smith-Cotton High School in Sedalia, Mo. He was the Class 4A Offenisve Player of the year in 2008 and was named to the Class 4A All-State team three times. Watkins said that redshirting helped him get acclimated to the speed of the game at the college level, before experiencing it first-hand this season.
“It’s really fast,” he said. “In high school you can do anything that you want to a certain extent, but in college you have to work for it. Last year I was watching on the sideline but this year I get to put on my pads and go for it.”
After taking the field at The Pitt for the first time, he said nothing else measures up.
“It’s great, I’d rather be here than anywhere else,” he said. “It’s the best feeling. The fans are good and I love the atmosphere.”
Watkins finished with five carries for 38 yards. After his touchdown — which came with 14:04 left in the first quarter — the Gorillas scored again with 4:28 remaining. Zac Dickey took a 13-yard run down the right hash mark. However, the Gorilla offense remained quiet for the last 45 minutes.
“The first half we came out with a bang,” Watkins said. “The second half we just calmed down a little bit. We just need to keep on fighting in the second half and put them away. If we keep them in the game early, they’re going to keep fighting and get back into it. But I’ll take a win anyday.”
