NKY Defensive POY: Marcus Watson

A tireless worker with a dogged-determination to come up with the football are the traits that led to Cooper defensive lineman Marcus Watson being named the 2015 TriStateFootball.com Northern Kentucky Defensive Player of the Year as TSF paid tribute to finest from Northern Kentucky, Dayton, Cincinnati and Southeast Indiana area’s high school gridiron at the Year in Review Show on Wednesday night at the Holy Grail-Banks in downtown Cincinnati. Stats don’t tell the whole story about this senior. His ability to collapse opposing offensive lines led to big plays for his teammates this past fall.

Cooper DL Marcus Watson (photo by Mike Noyes/TriStateFootball.com)

Watson was in on 67 total tackles with three sacks, four fumble recoveries and a 19-yard pick six for the 10-3 Jaguars who had a defense that allowed just 11.4 points per contest and came up with 34 takeaways. A Week 0 shocker set the tone as Cooper blew up eventual Class 5A state-semi-finalist Highlands and its trademark aerial attack, 37-13. The Jaguars would go on to shutout Class 2A state runner-up Newport Central Catholic and Class 3A state runner-up Lexington Catholic. Two of Cooper’s three losses were to 13-1 Class 6A state-semi-finalist Simon Kenton the Jaguars held the Pioneers to 13 points in a heartbreaking one-point playoff loss.

Other finalists included seniors Isaiah Ebarb (Conner), Tucker Mueller (Simon Kenton), Cameron Pitzer (Covington Catholic), Brett Slusher (Beechwood), juniors Dante Hendrix (Cooper) and Trent Kincaid (Simon Kenton).

TriStateFootball.com was founded in 2005 and started its postseason awards in 2007. Here the list of winners of this award all-time:

2015 – Marcus Watson (Cooper)
2014 – Branden Johnson (Dixie Heights)
2013 – Nate McCoy (Gallatin County)
2012 – Cameron Fogle (Conner)
2011 – Mikel Reynolds (Boone County)
2010 – Austin Baldwin (Simon Kenton)
2009 – Brandon Roller (Highlands)
2008 – Kody Rosenhagen (Highlands)
2007 – Luke Stein (Highlands)

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