Thursday, October 17, 2013

PORTLAND, Ore. -  Azusa Pacific running back Terrell Watson has been selected the D2Football.com National Offensive Player of the Week.

Watson, a 6-2, 230 pound junior from Oxnard, Calif., rushed for 302 yards and five touchdowns in a 44-36 come-from-behind win over Simon Fraser last Saturday at Glendora, Calif.

He netted 232 yards and four touchdowns in the fourth quarter alone as the Cougars completed a comeback from a 23-3 halftime deficit. The win kept APU tied for first place in the GNAC standings with Central Washington.  Both teams are 4-1 in conference play.

Watson's rushing total eclipsed Azusa Pacific's old single-game total of 248 set by former NFL star Christian Okoye in 1986 against Cal Lutheran and equaled by Marcus Lampkin in 2005 against Valley City State.

Watson also broke APU career records for rushing touchdowns and total touchdowns increasing his totals to 38 and 39.  He also became just the second player in GNAC history to rush for 300 yards in a single game joining Central Washington’s Nat Conley who had 322 yards against Humboldt State in 2001. 

In two seasons in the GNAC, Watson has rushed for 2,032 yards  and ranks 10th on the GNAC all-time chart.  Counting the season before APU joined the GNAC, Watson has a grand total of 2,729 career rushing yards.

His performance also earned Watson GNAC Red Lion Offensive Player of the Week honors.

Azusa Pacific scored 41 points in the second half, including 31 in the fourth quarter, to rally from its 20-point deficit.

The 41-point second half was the highest scoring second half in school history.  The Cougars scored 51 points in a half twice in the 2004 season, but each came in the first half of games. 

Okoye, the former Kansas City Chief, was in attendance at Saturday's game.