With Dream Gone, Watson Selects Colorado State

La Jolla running back E.J. Watson saw the end of one dream and the beginning of another Wednesday when he signed a letter of intent to play football at Colorado State.

Watson, the Times All-County Back of the Year, had always dreamed of playing college football--at Florida.

Watson was recruited by Florida, Miami, Nebraska and USC but only received a scholarship offer from Colorado State, mainly because of his uncertain academic status. Watson appreciated the Rams’ willingness to commit.

“I’m from Gainesville; I was born on the campus,” Watson said. “I’ve been a Gator all my life. (Not choosing Florida) was the hard part. But I’m a Ram now.

“I know I have the ability to play at those other schools, but I didn’t want to take a chance. You could get lost in the shuffle.”

Watson rushed for 2,501 yards, the third best single season in section history, and scored 30 touchdowns in leading the Vikings (13-1) to the Division 2-A championship game at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium in 1991.

The spotlight followed Watson, who runs with power and elusiveness, through La Jolla’s 50-49 semifinal victory over San Pasqual, in which Watson rushed for a section record 370 yards and a record-tying seven touchdowns. But because he hasn’t yet passed the Scholastic Aptitude Test, the big schools withheld any scholarship offers.

Watson took the SAT again Jan. 25 and expects to receive the results Friday. This time he has a good feeling about it.

“All these other schools were watching for the SAT to come out,” he said. “CSU, they were there. They were interested in me as an athlete and a student. I like the atmosphere there. (Ft. Collins) wasn’t a city, just a town. That will help me keep my mind focused on what I have to do.

“On recruiting trips you usually have a lot of fun. But they hooked me up with all kinds of academic counselors while I was there. They showed me they cared.”

Watson said he topped off last weekend’s trip to Ft. Collins by having breakfast with Ram Coach Earle Bruce, who told the La Jolla standout that he could play next year. Running backs coach Todd Fitch, who recruited Watson, told him he may even start next year in the same backfield with quarterback Anthony Hill of University City. Hill, a Times All-County guard in basketball in 1990, was Watson’s host during the trip.

Watson, who at 5 feet 10 and 190 pounds runs a 4.6-second 40-yard dash, hadn’t fancied himself playing in the Western Athletic Conference until now.

“I don’t know much about it, but it’s a good, competitive league,” he said. “Colorado State is building; that’s all they were talking about there. I’ll get to come home every once in a while, and I hope I can play in a Holiday Bowl. They have the players to do it, especially with Anthony there. We can do more things on offense.”

Watson was only one among numerous high-profile San Diego County players to sign Wednesday. In terms of quality, many consider the recruiting class of 1992 to be one of the best in Section history.

“There’s no question there were some high-profile, exceptional student-athletes in San Diego County this year,” San Diego State Coach Al Luginbill said.

Of the five Parade All-Americans from San Diego, Point Loma defensive lineman La’Roi Glover and Lincoln defensive back Scott Hammond signed to play for Luginbill. Mira Mesa quarterback Chad Davis, who broke the national career passing record, signed with Oklahoma. La Jolla Country Day’s Rashaan Salaam, the most prolific eight-man player in Section history, signed with Colorado. And LJCD kicker Eric Abrams, Parade’s national player of the year, signed with Stanford.

El Camino linebacker Abdul McCullough, a two-time Times All-County selection and Avocado League defensive player of the year, who made at least two other All-American lists, signed with UCLA.

Ken Loncar, a 6-6, 275-pound offensive lineman from Grossmont High, joined Abrams in choosing Stanford.

Along with SDSU, Arizona had a good recruiting year in San Diego. The Wildcats picked up Morse twins Cary and Gary Taylor, each of whom could play running back, receiver or defensive back, Vista running back/linebacker Chato Jackson, Point Loma linebacker Pico Gonzalez and Palomar College offensive lineman Tamasi Amituanai, formerly of Vista.

Jackson, the offensive player of the year as a fullback in the Palomar League and a Times All-County linebacker selection, waited until the afternoon to sign with Arizona. Washington made a late rush that piqued his interest.

“They said they were only recruiting one inside linebacker and told me I could be that person,” Jackson said. “Then they got a commitment from a kid from Washington state and I looked elsewhere.

“They called (Vista Coach Dick) Haines, who got in touch with me and told me the scenario. I slept on it--I slept a little bit--and came up with Arizona.”

Palomar College, the 1991 national co-champion, had nine players sign Wednesday, including record-setting quarterback Andy Loveland with Oklahoma State, and more could be forthcoming. Joining Loveland at Oklahoma State will be Southwestern College quarterback Derek Chapman, who previously went to Chula Vista High.

Times staff writers Jim Lindgren and Martin Henderson contributed to this story.

Where Are They Going?

Name School Pos. Ht. Wt. Eric Abrams LJCD K 5-8 165 Al Aliipule Palomar CC LB 6-2 265 John Allred Torrey Pines LB/TE 6-5 225 Tamasi Amituanai Palomar CC DL 6-3 340 Peau Atoe Palomar CC DL 6-2 250 Darius Benford Morse OL 6-6 230 Scott Brownholtz Fresno City CC C 6-3 275 Mario Carrizosa Palomar CC OL 6-4 255 Derek Chapman Southwestern CC QB 6-4 215 Andreal Climon Helix DB/WR 6-0 180 David Cunningham Point Loma DL 6-1 200 Chad Davis Mira Mesa QB 6-1 185 Terrell Davis CS Long Beach RB 6-1 190 Micheal Driver Point Loma DB 6-3 185 Bryan Duplessis CS Long Beach LB 6-3 210 Mino Faletoi Palomar CC DL 6-0 240 Kevin Gaines Lincoln DL 6-3 220 La’Roi Glover Point Loma DL 6-3 276 Pico Gonzalez Point Loma LB 6-3 235 Alex Gresham Point Loma RB 5-8 170 Scott Hammond Lincoln DB/WR 6-3 185 Andy Hauser Torrey Pines OL 6-6 260 Jamal Howard CS Long Beach DB 6-1 205 Chato Jackson Vista LB/RB 6-2 212 Erik Johnson Palomar CC OL 6-0 265 Ken Johnson Palomar CC DB 6-0 185 Willie Johnson San Diego Mesa CC DB 6-2 215 Ken Loncar Grossmont OL 6-6 275 Andy Loveland Palomar CC QB 6-2 200 Wes McDonald Mira Mesa OL/DL 6-2 235 Trent Miley Fresno CC OL 6-4 265 Abdul McCullough El Camino LB 6-1 200 Andy Nash Poway DL 6-4 250 Mitch Palmer Poway LB/OL 6-4 220 Noel Prefontaine El Camino K/QB 5-10 160 Robbie Quinn Palomar CC OL 6-4 265 Tommy Rawlins San Diego Mesa CC QB 6-2 205 Damian Rickey Poway FB 5-11 180 Mark Roe Torrey Pines OL 6-5 260 Matt Roe Torrey Pines OL 6-5 260 Rashaan Salaam La Jolla Country Day RB 6-2 200 Mark Schweller University City OL 6-6 250 Marlon Scott Lincoln RB 5-11 170 Glenn Steele Morse LB 6-2 235 Kyle Stephens Patrick Henry OL 6-6 235 Cary Taylor Morse WR/DB 6-0 170 Gary Taylor Morse WR/DB 6-0 170 John Verber Rancho Bernardo DL 6-2 200 Choo Choo Walker Palomar CC WR/QB 6-4 185 Riley Washington Southwest RB 5-9 165 Danny Williams Morse OL 6-3 225 Myron Wise Palomar CC WR 6-2 170 E.J. Watson La Jolla RB 5-11 190 John Zuanich La Jolla FS 6-3 205

Name College Eric Abrams Stanford Al Aliipule Memphis State John Allred USC Tamasi Amituanai Arizona Peau Atoe SW Missouri State Darius Benford Arizona State Scott Brownholtz Georgia Mario Carrizosa St. Mary’s (Kan.) Derek Chapman Oklahoma State Andreal Climon San Diego State David Cunningham Weber State Chad Davis Oklahoma Terrell Davis Georgia Micheal Driver San Diego State Bryan Duplessis New Mexico State Mino Faletoi SW Missouri State Kevin Gaines Santa Clara La’Roi Glover San Diego State Pico Gonzalez Arizona Alex Gresham Weber State Scott Hammond San Diego State Andy Hauser Montana State Jamal Howard New Mexico State Chato Jackson Arizona Erik Johnson Cal Poly SLO Ken Johnson Wyoming Willie Johnson San Diego State Ken Loncar Stanford Andy Loveland Oklahoma State Wes McDonald Army Trent Miley Memphis State Abdul McCullough UCLA Andy Nash Brigham Young Mitch Palmer Colorado State Noel Prefontaine Cal State Fullerton Robbie Quinn Memphis State Tommy Rawlins Cal Poly SLO Damian Rickey Northern Arizona Mark Roe San Diego State Matt Roe San Diego State Rashaan Salaam Colorado Mark Schweller St. Mary’s Marlon Scott Idaho State Glenn Steele Arizona State Kyle Stephens Weber State Cary Taylor Arizona Gary Taylor Arizona John Verber Northern Colorado Choo Choo Walker Memphis State Riley Washington Nebraska Danny Williams Fresno State Myron Wise Memphis State E.J. Watson Colorado State John Zuanich Duke