TAMPA, Fla. – Anthony Edwards did not get to see his grandson play in a USF uniform. He is looking down, though, on No. 34 in green and gold with a heart full of satisfaction. After all, Rico Watson III has more than made him proud.
Edwards, who passed away in February 2023, would also be proud to know the former Armwood standout opted to wear No. 34. It is also the number Watson’s cousin, Dallas Cowboys running back Malik Davis, wears. Watson and Davis, who starred at Jesuit and totaled more than 2,500 yards for the Florida Gators, were in the same Tampa youth league (Nuccio Jaguars), though in different age divisions.
“My grandad loved 34 and he was a big Cowboys fan,” said Watson. “I wanted to do something for him after he passed. So, I got number 34, which my cousin has had.”
Regardless of what number he is wearing, Watson’s play, passion and support of his teammates has impressed coach Alex Golesh.
“Rico is everything that college football should be about,” he said. “He is such a positive influence. He is such an elite teammate and the football gods smiled on him (against FAU) and hopefully they will smile some more.”
The FAU game, noted below, is an example of how relentless effort and determination can ultimately prevail.
Feeling at home in western Pennsylvania
Watson’s collegiate career began at Florida State in 2019 under former USF coach, Willie Taggart. He did not see the field that season, during which Taggart was fired after nine games. With the help of a couple of local connections, Watson transferred to FCS member Robert Morris University, about 20 miles northwest of downtown Pittsburgh.
No less than 14 players on the 2020 RMU Colonials were from Florida. The Sunshine State was, and remains, a big part of coach Bernard Clark’s recruiting territory. Clark is a Tampa native, former Miami Hurricanes linebacker and NFL player. Glenn Davis, who was on the inaugural team at USF and played four seasons at corner, coached defensive backs. (A bit of USF trivia: Davis had the first interception in program history.)
Though Watson was about a 900-mile flight from Tampa, he and many other players had much in common.
“It was nice to have a good group of guys from your home state,” he said. “There wasn’t much to do around campus, but we had each other. That was a big deal.”
It took a while for Watson to actually play in a game. After redshirting with the Seminoles in 2019, the pandemic pushed the Colonials’ 2020 season back to spring 2021 when many FCS programs took the field, though RMU played only three games. That fall, Watson was third in the Big South Conference – RMU is currently a member of the Northeast Conference — in sacks (7.5) and sixth in tackles for loss (11).
Back home
Watson fought through injuries during a winless 2022 campaign, after which he entered the portal with two seasons of eligibility. With the help of another connection in Tampa, he got in touch with USF defensive line coach, Kevin Patrick, whose career overlapped with Clark’s at Miami. The only drawback was that as a player transferring between divisions, the FCS to FBS, he had to sit out the 2023 season. (The NCAA changed that rule in 2024 allowing for immediate participation.)
“My first year here, I took every practice like I was preparing for game reps,” said Watson, who considers himself a student of the game and would like to break into the coaching fraternity at some point. “I came in and tried to dominate the offense every day. I grinded and wanted to prove myself as a player.”
Watson heads into Thursday evening’s game against visiting UTSA (7:30/ESPN) with 30 tackles and 4.5 for loss, which is fourth on the tram. It looked like he had his first career touchdown toward the end of the first half against visiting FAU on October 18 when he scooped up an apparent fumble by an Owls’ receiver and raced 92 yards. Unfortunately, video review revealed the pass was incomplete.
“That touchdown still felt pretty good,” he said.
Not to be deterred, Watson had his first interception with USF in the fourth quarter, and returned it 21 yards to set up the Bulls’ final score in a 48-13 win. It was an evening when a cheering section of family and friends numbered about 40, many of whom were present during the Bulls Stampede, the pregame walk into Raymond James Stadium.
“That’s the beauty of it, playing in front of your family,” said the son of Latonja and Ricardo and father of a one-year-old boy. “Each week I try to get as many tickets as I can. You can feel the energy with everyone rooting for you, especially seeing them on the walk to the stadium before the game. It brings a smile to my face.”
Anthony Edwards is smiling as well.
READ: Hall Of Famer Derrick Brooks Named COO Of USF Athletics
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
