Dec. 29, 2010
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By John Denton
UCFAthletics.com
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (UCFAthletics.com) - It's no coincidence that UCF senior wide receivers Brian Watters and Jamar Newsome have enjoyed career years at the same time. After all, their breakout seasons at UCF have been somewhat of a joint effort -- all the way down to even their close living arrangements.
Watters and Newsome are not only UCF's top two wide receivers, but they are also the best of friends, roommates, confidants and total supporters of one another. And now on the verge of their final game together with UCF in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, the two seniors wonder where they would be right now if it weren't for their unique friendship.
``Brian is absolutely one of the biggest influences on my life,'' said Newsome, who led the Knights by averaging 17.6 yards a catch this season. ``Even when I wasn't playing and Brian was, he kept my head up, kept me driven and focused on my goals. Sometimes, I'd be upset that I wasn't in a position that I wanted to be in, but I realized I had to be focused to get where he was. And Brian kept me on the right page and he was always motivating me. Our friendship has grown so much and it's been very beneficial to me.''
And Watters had this to say: ``We pushed each other in the offseason and held each other accountable. And because we're roommates, we discussed everything, kept each other focused and it really helped us do good things together on the field.''
The struggles to get on the field and stay healthy are a thing of the past and Watters and Newsome now give No. 24 UCF (10-3) its best chance at beating Georgia (6-6) in Friday afternoon's game.
With the Bulldogs' front seven being their strong suit, UCF will likely have to open up the offense and use their speed on the outside to attack Georgia. And head coach George O'Leary knows that the Knights have the playmakers in freshman phenom quarterback Jeff Godfrey and receivers like Watters and Newsome to do big-time damage down the field.
``I really think that we have to open it up and there's no question about that,'' O'Leary said Wednesday following the Liberty Bowl Luncheon for UCF and Georgia's players. ``Any bowl game that I've been involved with, you have to be able to run the ball and stop the run. But it's a bowl game and we're going to open it up and see what we can get done with our athletes.''
Watters and Newsome got plenty done this past season. Watters, a native of Rome, Ga., bounced back from a debilitating toe injury last season to tie his career high in receiving yardage (594) while leading the Knights in receptions (41). Newsome, a St. Petersburg native, was arguably the most improved player on the team, catching 34 passes for 597 yards and three touchdowns. He opened the eyes of plenty of NFL scouts by registering three 100-yard games in the final four weeks.
Watters and Newsome have been roommates for 4 ½ years and that bond exposed their similarities and differences off the field. Watters in the ``neat freak,'' and is known to blast the music while tidying up the apartment on a daily basis. Newsome is the better cook of the two, whipping up meals on a regular basis. And while they listen to the same music and enjoy the same video games, their one biggest difference is the topic of horror movies. Watters loves them, while Newsome loathes them.
That friendship helped them as recently as last season as it related to football. Newsome, a former track star, struggled with the transition to football and had to learn how to use his freakishly strong 6-foot-2, 202-pound frame. Watters, who missed a lot of last season because of torn ligaments in his big toe, was always there for support.
``Earlier in Jamar's career he was one of the best athletes on the team, but it was frustrating for him because he wasn't playing as much as he wanted,'' Watters recalled. ``I just tried to be there for him and Jamar is one of my best friends ever. I care for him so much. I think it meant a lot for him having somebody there for him in those hard times.''
As much as they are alike off the field, they are opposites on the field. Watters is the cerebral player, running precise routes and using his craftiness to confuse defensive backs. Newsome has loads of talent with his sprinter's speed and his explosive power. He bench-presses an impressive 315 pounds, but it's his leg drive thanks to his ability to squat 550 pounds that allows him to run over defensive backs. And his willingness to be physical as a wide out has certainly caught the eye of more than one NFL scout.
Said Newsome: ``I just have the feeling that no one person should ever be able to bring me down.''
As Watters and Newsome have learned with their college careers about to come to an end with Friday's Liberty Bowl, life moves on and stops for no one. With both set to begin preparing for NFL workouts following Friday's game, even their living arrangements are about to be altered. Both are moving into apartments with their girlfriends, but it undoubtedly won't change their friendship.
``Life moves on and things change, but we'll still be like 2 minutes apart after we move,'' Watters said with a chuckle. ``Friends like Jamar, you'll never lose them. We'll be in touch every single day until we die. It's just great to have a friend like him.''
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John Denton's Knights Insider appears on UCFAthletics.com several times a week. E-mail John at jdenton@athletics.ucf.edu.