Drew Watson enters his 13th overall season at Newberry and 11th as its special teams coordinator and defensive backs coach. Watson also serves as the Training Room Liaison for the Football Coaching. Watson is in his second coaching stint at Newberry after coaching in the 1988 and 89 seasons. Watson returned to his alma mater after being a Defensive Coordinator at Presbyterian.
The 2022 season saw Newberry’s fifth overall SAC Championship in program history. The Secondary had 56 total passes broken up and nine interceptions on the season. . The Wolves had punt return coverage that was ranked 11th in the nation allowing only 12 yards on five return attempts.   Â
Watson led a secondary that saw first team all-SAC defensive back Marcus Morgan shine with 36 tackles, and five pass breakups. The Special Teams unit gained a first team all-SAC long snapper in Blake Arnoult.
The Wolves Secondary had a stellar 2021 season as they were a part of a second-round appearance in the NCAA Division II playoffs. The wolves secondary led the SAC only allowing an average 166.9 yards through the air per game. The Wolves special teams had a special season ranking 14th in the nation with 3 blocked punts throughout the season.
Leading that 2021 Secondary was second team all-American defensive back, Anthony Blue. Blue was second in the nation with seven interceptions on the season. Blue also had 46 tackles, and led the defense with 16 pass breakups on the season.
In the Spring of 2021, the Wolves Secondary was sixth in the nation in passing yards allowed, giving up an average of 151.8 yards per game. Watson’s punt coverage gave up an average of -2 yards per punt return throughout the season.
Newberry's defensive backs had an impressive season as a unit in 2019, ranking eighth nationally with 145.4 passing yards allowed per game and picking off 10 passes throughout the season. His special teams units also excelled, ranking 10th with 24.4 yards per kickoff return, including Chance Walker's eighth-best individual total of 30.8 yards per return, and 30th in net punting. Long snapper Travis Morgan earned a Second Team All-SAC selection.
In 2018, Watson oversaw an excellent defensive backfield that led the nation with just five touchdown passes allowed and also ranked in the top 15 nationally in passing defense and passing efficiency defense.
Watson led a secondary that saw Jawanza Adams named second team all-South Atlantic Conference and was instrumental to Newberry's entire defense being named SAC Defensive Player of the Week during the final week of the season, marking the first time in five seasons a unit or position group was given a SAC weekly award. The Wolves held Mars Hill's offense to 280 yards below its season average while tying a 24-year-old SAC record with six interceptions. The nation's sixth-best passing attack was limited to 8-for-25 for 63 yards in the game, while their passer rating of 5.3 was the lowest for any Newberry opponent on record. The nation's second-leading receiver caught two passes for 15 yards.
The special teams units also excelled in 2017. The Wolves racked up four weekly conference awards: a SAC award by Shea Rodgers, an ECAC accolade by Kevin Weber, and a sweep in both leagues by Chance Walker. Rodgers made all of his kicks and had an impressive punting average at Lenoir-Rhyne, Weber nailed what was at the time Newberry's longest field goal in 17 years against Virginia University of Lynchburg, and Walker became the second SAC player of the last 26 years and sixth overall to return a kickoff 100 yards for a score at Virginia Union.
The 2016 season saw Newberry capture its third SAC championship with a 10-2 record and earn a bid to the NCAA Division II Football Championship for the third time in four seasons. Newberry ranked No. 1 in the nation by allowing one total punt return yard during the entire 2016 campaign. The Wolves' kickoff return defense was 13th nationally at 17.11 yards allowed per return.
Rashaad Smith earned second team all-SAC honors as a defensive back, leading the team with 10 passes defended and tallying three interceptions. In all, Newberry defensive backs finished the season with 10 total interceptions and 20 pass breakups.
Prior to his time at Presbyterian, Watson was at Coastal Carolina for 10 seasons coaching the safeties. In 2010 he was responsible for coaching outside linebackers and has assisted with special teams during his time in Conway. From 2002-07 Watson served as Coastal's recruiting coordinator and came in to help build the Chanticleer football program from its inaugural year in 2002.
During Watson's stint, the Chanticleer defense ranked among the Big South's best in pass defense. In 2009, the team ranked 15th nationally and was second in the league. The team led the Big South in 2008, 2007, 2006 and ranked second in 2005. Coastal Carolina ranked fourth in the nation in interceptions with 21 picks in 2009, after ranking first in 2006 with 19 in 2004 with 27.
Watson coached NFL safety Quinton Teal, who was a two-time second and third team All-American, as well as Academic All-American Marcus Lott. He also recruited current NFL running back, Mike Tolbert, 2007 All-American Honorable Mention Marrio Norman and his brother, 2011 First Team All-American Josh Norman, a former NFL starter.
From 1990-2002 Watson was an assistant coach at Wofford. During his 12 season with the Terriers he split his time coaching the running backs and the offensive line. He also assisted with the special teams and was part of the staff that made the transition from NCAA Division II to Division I in 1995, as well as the move to the Southern Conference in 1997.
While Watson was at Wofford, the team led the nation in rushing offense and made the NCAA Division II Playoffs two separate occasions. In 1997 he coached All-American center Dan Williams.
Prior to Wofford, he served as the secondary coach at Newberry during the 1988 and 1989 seasons and assisted with special teams.
Watson graduated Newberry College with a degree in business administration in 1989. He was a four-year letterwinner and three year starter at cornerback and earned Second Team NAIA All-American honors and First Team All-South Atlantic Conference honors as a senior, as well as the team's Most Valuable Player award. As a junior, he was named Honorable Mention All-American. Watson earned National Player of the Week honors in 1988 after his efforts against Catawba. He was inducted into the Newberry College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2023.
Personal
Alma Mater: Newberry ‘88
Family: Wife, Melanie (26 years); Son Cole (Newberry Wide Receiver 2012-15 led the SAC in average Punt Return yards in 2015); Daughters Cate (Wofford ’23), and Anna, who is currently a senior at Clemson University.
Years in Coaching: 36
Recruiting Areas: Laurens County, Grenville/Spartanburg, and Cherokee County
Coaching Experience
Newberry College
2013-Present                  Assistant Coach/Special Teams/Defensive Backs
1988-89Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Secondary Coach
Presbyterian College
2012Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Defensive Coordinator/Secondary Coach
Coastal Carolina
2003-2011Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Assistant Coach/Safeties
Wofford College
1990-2002Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Assistant Coach/Running Backs/Offensive Line
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