Football Player of the Year: Gainesville QB Deshaun Watson
Watson set state records in career passing yards, all-purpose TDs and passing TDs
By Bill Murphy
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POSTED: December 23, 2012
SCOTT ROGERS | The Times
Gainesville QB Deshaun Watson is The Times Football Player of the Year.
Gainesville quarterback Deshaun Watson always tries to have his priorities in order, and the scope of his day-to-day activities is not just limited to football, where he led the Red Elephants to the Class AAAAA state championship recently at the Georgia Dome.
Watson heeds the lessons instilled by this mother, Deann, and tries to remain humble, even though he?s well aware of his status as the state?s new leader in career passing yards (9,360), all-purpose touchdowns (155) and passing touchdowns (108).
This season, Watson became only the third 4,000-yard passer in state history and second to throw for 50 touchdowns in a single season.
No matter where Watson goes, he tries to keep things in perspective. He?s determined not to let football success go to his head.
?I?m going to stay the same low-key person I?ve always been,? Watson said. ?I always try to smile when people talk to me and say ?Yes sir, yes ma?am.??
To his list of accomplishments, Watson can add back-to-back winner of The Times Football Player of the Year.
On the field, Watson is a fleet-footed quarterback with a rocket of a right arm and a near shoo-in to be named All State for the second straight year.
Away from football, he likes to step out of the limelight and spend time with his mom, who only months ago received a clean bill of health after a one-year battle with tongue cancer, older brother Detrick, and younger twin siblings, Tyreke and Tinisha, 13. When he has time, the family will go shopping, walk in the park and take in movies.
The star quarterback Watson also gets a kick out of taking his siblings to visit college campuses. Watson is verbally committed to Clemson University, and has remained that way since last February, but also has trips lined up to Louisiana State, Ohio State, Auburn, Florida State and Tennessee.
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