University of Memphis Athletics
2023 Football Roster
Watson, Blake
Jersey Number 4
Blake Watson
- Position:
- Running Back
- Height:
- 5-9
- Weight:
- 195
- Class:
- Fifth Year
- Hometown:
- Queens, N.Y.
- High School:
- Green Hope (NC) HS
- Prev School:
- Old Dominion
- NIL:
Bio
Honors
• 2023 First-Team All-AAC
• 2023 First-Team All-AAC (Phil Steele)
• 2022 All-Sun Belt Honorable Mention
• 2021 All-Conference USA Honorable Mention
• 2019 All-Conference USA Honorable Mention
• 2019 Conference USA All-Freshman Team kick returner
2023 (Redshirt Senior)
• Member of the 10-3 Tigers who defeated Iowa State in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl
• Appeared in all 13 games on the season, earning 11 starts
• Rushed 192 times for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns while totaling 53 receptions for 480 yards and three scores
• His 1,637 scrimmage yards rank sixth all-time in Memphis single-season history, while his 1,152 rushing yards rank ninth all-time
• Ranked eighth in the NCAA in total touchdowns (17), 15th in rushing touchdowns and 17th in all-purpose yards (125.92)
• Led the AAC in scoring (TDs) at 7.85, all-purpose yards (1,637) and all-purpose yards per game (125.92)
• Ranked second in the AAC in rushing yards, rushing yards per game (88.62) and scoring (7.85)
• Totaled five 100-yards rushing games and one 100-yard receiving game on the season
• Rushed 17 times for 169 yards and two score while reeling in five catches for a season-high 100 yards at North Texas
• His 269 combined rushing and receiving yards ranked fourth all-time in Memphis history and also marked just the second time in school history a player had at least 100 rushing and 100 receiving yards in a single game
• Totaled 169 rushing yards and one score on 10 carries and added six catches for 68 yards against Navy
• In win over Iowa State in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, he ran 15 times for 107 yards and added 22 yards on three receptions
• Rushed 21 times for 125 yards and a touchdown at UAB
• Carried the ball 19 times for 113 yards and two scores against Boise State
• Totaled 22 rushes for 83 yards and two touchdowns to go with eight catches for 41 yards and a score at Charlotte
• Had a season-high nine receptions for 83 yards and a touchdown along with 18 rushes for 47 yards against Missouri
• Posted 129 total yards (95 rushing, 34 receiving) at Temple with a rushing and receiving score
• Also had rushing touchdowns against South Florida and SMU
• AAC Weekly Honor Roll (North Texas)
• AAC Weekly Honor Roll (UAB)
• Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll (Boise State)
• AAC Weekly Honor Roll (Navy)
• Third-Team Preseason All-AAC (Phil Steele)
2018-22 (at Old Dominion)
• Played in 33 games with 24 starts at Old Dominion from 2018-22
• Ran for 2,144 yards on 398 attempts for 14 touchdowns at ODU, while also reeling in 60 receptions for 448 yards and three scores
• Eclipsed 100 rushing yards in nine games
• In 2022, started all 11 games at running back he played in
• Rushed 159 times for 921 yards and five touchdowns
• Caught a single-season ODU running back record 37 passes for 314 yards and two touchdowns
• Rushed 19 times for an ODU school record 259 yards and three touchdowns in the win at Coastal Carolina
• In 2021, earned 10 starts in 11 games
• Had 215 carries for 1,112 yards and eight touchdowns, all led the team
• Set the ODU single-season record for carries with 215
• Finished fifth in Conference USA with 1,112 yards and 101.1 yards per game
• Finished 22nd in the country with 101.1 yards per game and 36th in the country with 1,112. yards
• Set a school record with five-straight 100-yard rushing games
• In 2019, appeared in 11 games with three starts
• Led ODU with 828 all-purpose yards and 75.3 all-purpose yards per game
• Led Conference USA with 26.4 yards per kick return
• Rushed 25 times for 119 yards and one touchdown
Prior to Memphis/Personal
• Had 106 receptions for 1,885 yards and 25 touchdowns in his career at Green Hope
• Two-time Tri-6 All-Conference honors
• Helped Green Hope to a 10-3 record, Tri-6 Championship and advance to the state quarterfinals
• Earned All-American honors in track and field
• 2023 First-Team All-AAC
• 2023 First-Team All-AAC (Phil Steele)
• 2022 All-Sun Belt Honorable Mention
• 2021 All-Conference USA Honorable Mention
• 2019 All-Conference USA Honorable Mention
• 2019 Conference USA All-Freshman Team kick returner
2023 (Redshirt Senior)
• Member of the 10-3 Tigers who defeated Iowa State in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl
• Appeared in all 13 games on the season, earning 11 starts
• Rushed 192 times for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns while totaling 53 receptions for 480 yards and three scores
• His 1,637 scrimmage yards rank sixth all-time in Memphis single-season history, while his 1,152 rushing yards rank ninth all-time
• Ranked eighth in the NCAA in total touchdowns (17), 15th in rushing touchdowns and 17th in all-purpose yards (125.92)
• Led the AAC in scoring (TDs) at 7.85, all-purpose yards (1,637) and all-purpose yards per game (125.92)
• Ranked second in the AAC in rushing yards, rushing yards per game (88.62) and scoring (7.85)
• Totaled five 100-yards rushing games and one 100-yard receiving game on the season
• Rushed 17 times for 169 yards and two score while reeling in five catches for a season-high 100 yards at North Texas
• His 269 combined rushing and receiving yards ranked fourth all-time in Memphis history and also marked just the second time in school history a player had at least 100 rushing and 100 receiving yards in a single game
• Totaled 169 rushing yards and one score on 10 carries and added six catches for 68 yards against Navy
• In win over Iowa State in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, he ran 15 times for 107 yards and added 22 yards on three receptions
• Rushed 21 times for 125 yards and a touchdown at UAB
• Carried the ball 19 times for 113 yards and two scores against Boise State
• Totaled 22 rushes for 83 yards and two touchdowns to go with eight catches for 41 yards and a score at Charlotte
• Had a season-high nine receptions for 83 yards and a touchdown along with 18 rushes for 47 yards against Missouri
• Posted 129 total yards (95 rushing, 34 receiving) at Temple with a rushing and receiving score
• Also had rushing touchdowns against South Florida and SMU
• AAC Weekly Honor Roll (North Texas)
• AAC Weekly Honor Roll (UAB)
• Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll (Boise State)
• AAC Weekly Honor Roll (Navy)
• Third-Team Preseason All-AAC (Phil Steele)
2018-22 (at Old Dominion)
• Played in 33 games with 24 starts at Old Dominion from 2018-22
• Ran for 2,144 yards on 398 attempts for 14 touchdowns at ODU, while also reeling in 60 receptions for 448 yards and three scores
• Eclipsed 100 rushing yards in nine games
• In 2022, started all 11 games at running back he played in
• Rushed 159 times for 921 yards and five touchdowns
• Caught a single-season ODU running back record 37 passes for 314 yards and two touchdowns
• Rushed 19 times for an ODU school record 259 yards and three touchdowns in the win at Coastal Carolina
• In 2021, earned 10 starts in 11 games
• Had 215 carries for 1,112 yards and eight touchdowns, all led the team
• Set the ODU single-season record for carries with 215
• Finished fifth in Conference USA with 1,112 yards and 101.1 yards per game
• Finished 22nd in the country with 101.1 yards per game and 36th in the country with 1,112. yards
• Set a school record with five-straight 100-yard rushing games
• In 2019, appeared in 11 games with three starts
• Led ODU with 828 all-purpose yards and 75.3 all-purpose yards per game
• Led Conference USA with 26.4 yards per kick return
• Rushed 25 times for 119 yards and one touchdown
Prior to Memphis/Personal
• Had 106 receptions for 1,885 yards and 25 touchdowns in his career at Green Hope
• Two-time Tri-6 All-Conference honors
• Helped Green Hope to a 10-3 record, Tri-6 Championship and advance to the state quarterfinals
• Earned All-American honors in track and field
Football: Sutton Smith and Drue Watts Press Conference-September 13, 2025
Saturday, September 13
Football: Ryan Silverfield Press Conference-September 13, 2025
Saturday, September 13
Football: Jordon Hankins Press Conference-September 10, 2025
Wednesday, September 10
Football: Brendon Lewis Press Conference-September 10, 2025
Wednesday, September 10
