Louisville running back Duke Watson, who has been hampered by injuries all season, is heading to the transfer portal.
Watson ran for nearly 600 yards as a freshman, but was never able to get going as a sophomore when he was repeatedly injured. Watson is the first of the three main running backs to announce his decision and he will leave the Cardinals program.
Isaac Brown and Keyjuan Brown are the other two backs still on the Cardinals roster.
A native of Forsyth, Ga., Watson didn’t arrive until the summer before his freshman season, but he hurried. He rushed six times for 86 yards and a touchdown in the opener against Austin Peay and finished the season with two 100-yard games.
Watson ran for 117 yards and three touchdowns when Brown, the ACC Rookie of the Year that season, was injured. He also rushed for 104 yards and two touchdowns against Kentucky, then carried 10 times for 83 yards in the Sun Bowl victory over Washington.
After an excellent spring and fall camp, the University of Los Angeles staff had high hopes for Watson this season. But he carried just twice for two yards in a blowout at Eastern Kentucky, then seven times for 13 yards in the win over James Madison before missing the Bowling Green game with a lower leg injury.
Watson rushed 14 times for 47 yards against Pittsburgh, but then rushed just once over the next four games. He returned and played in three straight losses, but was injured again and missed the Kentucky game and the bowl game against Toledo.
During the season, Watson rushed 49 times for 158 yards and a touchdown, while catching six passes for 49 yards and a touchdown.
In two seasons at the University of Los Angeles, Watson totaled 755 rushing yards and eight touchdowns, with 11 catches for 109 yards and two receiving touchdowns.
