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AT TECH: Three-year starter at defensive tackle whose playing time was limited by nagging injuries in his senior season, following off-season surgery on his back and knee . . . Career totals of 117 tackles with 17.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 quarterback sacks.
2001: Played in every game, starting four . . . Collected 11 tackles, three tackles for loss and two sacks . . . Season-high five tackles against Duke, including a sack . . . Also had a sack against Clemson and a tackle for loss versus Florida State.
2000: Started every game at defensive tackle . . . Made 38 tackles . . . Intercepted a pass at the Tech 20-yard line against NC State, leading to a field goal . . . Season-high five tackles against Florida State with one tackle for loss and three pressures . . . Also had five tackles against Virginia . . . Recorded sacks against Navy and North Carolina.
1999: Started every regular season game at defensive tackle . . . Made 50 tackles . . . Third on the team with seven tackles for loss, along with 1.5 sacks . . . Career-high nine tackles against Wake Forest, followed by seven versus Georgia . . . Had two tackles for loss and a sack against North Carolina . . . Also had tackles for loss against Navy, Florida State, NC State, Virginia and Clemson.
1998: Provided steady play as a freshman as he started all but one game on the defensive line . . . Finished with 29 tackles, one sack and three tackles for loss . . . Had five tackles, a sack and a pressure against 12th-ranked Georgia . . . Had a tackle for a five-yard loss and recovered a fumble against Wake Forest . . . Season-high six tackles against Clemson. . . Redshirted in 1997. HIGH SCHOOL: Earned all-state honors . . . A two-time all-Low Country selection . . . Three-time all-conference selection . . . Made 137 solo tackles as a senior, along with 15.5 sacks, four caused fumbles and three fumble recoveries . . . That followed a junior season in which he recorded 101 solo tackles, 16 sacks, six caused fumble, one fumble recovery and two interceptions . . . Three-year starter for Burke High, where he was coached by Marion Brown . . . Also an all-region and all-state wrestler his last two years and all-conference track performer in the shot put.
PERSONAL: Full name is Merrix William Watson . . . Born January 30, 1979 . . . Parents are Freddie Watson and the late Julius Watson . . . Majoring in History, Technology and Society.
CAREER STATISTICSYear G-GS P-A Tkl TFL Sck FC FR Int PB PR 1998 11-10 15-14 29 4-11 1-4 1 1 0 0 2 1999 11-11 30-20 50 8.5-22 1.5-9 0 0 0 0 2 2000 11-11 14-24 38 5-20 2-16 1 0 1-3 1 3 2001 12-4 5-6 11 3-4 2-3 0 0 0 0 0 Total 45-36 64-64 128 20.5-57 6.5-32 2 1 1-3 1 7
CAREER HIGHS
Tackles: 9 vs Wake Forest, 1999
