Morris Watts, a longtime figure in college football, has sadly passed away at 88. He spent more than 50 years working in football.
Morris Watts, a longtime figure in college football, has sadly passed away at 88. Upon learning of his death, the Michigan Spartans posted a statement to their social media account.
"We mourn the passing of former longtime coach Morris Watts,"
Watts spent the best part of 50 years involved with collegiate football. His death will be felt throughout the country. Watts spent significant time with the Spartans between the late 80s and early 2000s, as the team detailed in a post to its website.
"Watts' career spanned more than 50 seasons in coaching, including 12 seasons at Michigan State as the program's offensive coordinator," the Spartans' obituary read. "He served as MSU's offensive coordinator on three separate occasions (1986-90, 1992-94, 1999-2002) and was the interim head coach for the final three games of the 2002 season."
Before transitioning into coaching, Watts played running back for Tulsa, earning his bachelor's degree in 1961. He then went on to earn a master's degree from Pittsburgh State in 1964. The following year, he stepped into the collegiate coaching ranks, accepting a position as the offensive coordinator at Drake.
Outside of his time with the Spartans, Watts also coached quarterbacks for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1991. He had one season with Mississippi State, operating as their offensive coordinator in 2003. Watts spent a further two seasons with Miami University in Ohio, six seasons with Central Michigan and single seasons with Arkansas and Texas Southern, to name just a few.
Watts dedicated his life to the game of football. He carried a wealth of knowledge with him and was undoubtedly a respected figure throughout the football world. It's no stretch to believe that he'll be missed, not only for his knowledge but also for the amount of passion it takes to be around the game for your entire life.
Currently, no details regarding Watts' funeral have been made public. That information will likely remain private for family and close friends.
