On Equal Footing : Quarterback Watkins, Injury-Free, Resolves to Impress Recruiters in Final Game

After learning he was the victim of a prank, Jeremie Watkins smiled, shook his head and jogged onto the football field at Newbury Park High.

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His Ventura County all-star East teammates, already in the middle of workout drills, teasingly laughed as he ran toward them, a rubber sandal on one foot and inquiring about a mysterious sartorial disappearance.

Kevin Crook, who will share quarterback duties with Watkins in tonight’s game, was the perpetrator--hiding Watkins’ right shoe before practice.

“We’re here to have fun,” Watkins said. “That’s what this game should be: a lot of fun. “

But there is also a serious side for Watkins. The practical jokes and lighthearted practices can’t disguise the importance of this game for the 17-year-old Simi Valley High senior.

The game provides another chance for him to showcase his talent for college scouts who backed away after he suffered a career-threatening injury in the middle of the 1993 season.

“Yeah, I guess this is an important game,” Watkins said. “I’m really looking forward to playing in it. It will be my chance to be out there at 100%.”

Watkins suffered a broken left ankle in the second quarter of Simi Valley’s game against crosstown rival Royal five weeks into the season. Just as he released the ball on a pass play, a Royal lineman hit him, knocking him down and landing on his ankle.

“I tried to get up but it just wasn’t going to happen,” Watkins said. “At halftime they taped my ankle but when I tried running on the sidelines I felt a large amount of pain. I knew something was really wrong.”

Initially, trainers and doctors thought it was a sprain that would heal quickly.

But X-rays the next day revealed a broken bone. Watkins’ doctor said he would be sidelined for at least six weeks.

“I cried,” Watkins said. “I may seem like a macho man, but I cried and cried. I don’t know if I had enough tears in my body. I had never broken a bone in my body and it was tough to take.”

At the time Watkins, 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, was one of the area’s top passers along with Keith Smith of Newbury Park and Westlake’s Crook.

Smith, who was selected as an outfielder by the Detroit Tigers in baseball’s amateur draft last week, will not play in tonight’s game. Smith, who has a football scholarship to Arizona, led the state in passing and directed Newbury Park to a Southern Section title.

Crook received a football scholarship from Nevada Las Vegas.

Watkins will play at Moorpark College next season unless he gets a last-minute scholarship offer from a four-year school.

“In my opinion that injury cost Jeremie a scholarship,” Simi Valley Coach Roger McCamy said. “He was eighth in the state in passing when he went down.

“A lot of big schools were interested in him and even after the injury some colleges have told him to walk on because he has a great chance of getting a scholarship as a sophomore.”

UNLV, San Jose State and Fresno State were among the colleges interested in Watkins.

Determined to prove he still had what it takes to play Division I football, Watkins underwent intense therapy to return before the end of the season. He would not accept that his high school career had ended.

Almost four weeks after the injury, he

was back in uniform. Watkins was healthy enough to start in the Pioneers’ last two games and passed for more than 200 yards in each.

“It just felt great,” he said. “It was so great to be out there with the team again. When I was hurt I sat through every game and every practice and it was really tough. It was so hard not being able to participate in a game you love.”

Watkins was selected to the All-Marmonte League first team. He finished the season with 118 completions for 1,669 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also played No. 2 doubles on Simi Valley’s tennis team.

“He’s at full strength now,” said Newbury Park Coach George Hurley, coach of the East team. “He’ll do great. He’s a quality player and he’s very good throwing the football. He also improvises well.”

The comeback road has been tortuous for Watkins. While many of his Simi Valley football teammates took a postseason break, he started an intense workout program that includes weight training and running.

Besides daily practice with the all-star team, he trains on his own for about 10 hours a week.

One of his biggest incentives has been the all-star game because he figured his ankle would be completely healed.

“From day one I thought I’m going to work, work, work for this game,” Watkins said. “I really wanted to go into it in top shape.”

Hurley has not yet determined who will start at quarterback, but he says Watkins and Crook will share the position.

It makes no difference, Watkins said, whether he plays in the first or second half as long as he gets a chance. He is hopeful that college recruiters will take note.

“You know I don’t care where, I just want a college scholarship,” he said.

And the easygoing teen-ager stopped smiling. No matter how much goofing around he did during practice this week, tonight’s game will be no laughing matter.