Catching Up With Jalen Watts-Jackson
12/29/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
Jalen Watts-Jackson's 38-yard fumble return for a touchdown on the last play of the game to beat Michigan was named the No. 1 college football play of the year by ESPN.
By Steve Grinczel, MSUSpartans.com Online Columnist
ARLINGTON, Texas -- A few weeks ago, Michigan State defensive back Jalen Watts-Jackson used a walker to get to classes.
On Tuesday, he was wearing his white No. 20 Spartan game jersey, green warm-up pants and navigating Cotton Bowl Media Day at AT&T Stadium on his own two legs without assistance.
Watts-Jackson won't suit up for Thursday night's College Football Playoff national semifinal against Alabama, but he said it's great to be involved with the team again since fracturing and dislocating his hip at the end of his 38-yard fumble return for the touchdown that beat Michigan, 27-23, on the final play of the game on Oct. 17.
"It feels good to have this jersey on again," said Watts-Jackson a red-shirt freshman. "It's been a while, for sure."
Without Watts-Jackson's score, which came after Grayson Miller and Matt Morrissey knocked the ball out of U-M punter Blake O'Neill's hands, MSU wouldn't be two wins away from the National Championship. However, even if it meant he could avoid the pain he's had to endure and his difficulty getting from Point A to Point B, he wouldn't change a thing.
"It's definitely all been worth it, especially for this group of guys," he said. "We've got a lot of seniors and older guys I'm close with. I would say we're like a family and for my family I would definitely really do it again.
"It's a blessing to be able to contribute that to my team."
ESPN named MSU's miracle finish the College Football Play of the Year and NFL.com called it the greatest college play of all time.
"I've seen probably somewhere over 300 times without even trying to watch it, being tagged on Twitter, the play showing up on TV highlights," Watts-Jackson said. "I see it all the time."
And, his teammates won't let them forget what he did for them.
"They like to make a lot of jokes about the situation, calling me `The Legend' in front of people, just yelling out my name or screaming out the part, `and he scored!'," Watts-Jackson said. "At public events, anywhere, they love doing that.
"I just laugh it off. It's funny seeing them make fun of the situation. I think the situation is blessing so I don't ever shy away from it. If people want to take pictures, I'll take pictures with them."
Watts-Jackson's rehabilitation hasn't been a laughing matter, however.
"It's been frustrating at times," he said. "I had to go to class on a walker. But, the support from my team, the training staff, family and friends, has helped a lot. I've been up walking for about two weeks, so I'm ahead of schedule. It feels good to be back on my feet."
Watts-Jackson won't participate in spring practice, but is looking forward to summer workouts and being ready for preseason camp in 2016.
Maybe by then he'll even come to grips with immortality.
"It's still too big to wrap my head around," Watts-Jackson said. "I appreciate when it's from my team, but the main part I think about the most is I have to come back and play. So I have high expectations now.
"On one play, I set the bar really high for myself, but I'm healing fast and I'm ready to get back to see what next season will be like. I'll be back."
