Members of Illinois State’s equipment crew will have logged over 8,100 miles during the Redbirds’ road playoff run. (Photo by Illinois State University)
By Dan Verdun
Hard work. Dedication. Positively addressing adversity. The ability to adjust to roadblocks. Pride.
While these characteristics have led Illinois State players and coaches on their quest to claim the Jan. 5 FCS national championship game, there is yet another Redbird unit these descriptions fit – Nick Watson’s equipment team.
Crowds may have cheered ISU on the field, but Watson’s crew has performed its mission just as efficiently during long hours behind the scenes as the Redbirds won an FCS-record four straight road playoff games.
During this streak, Watson’s team – which consists of a graduate assistant and nine student managers, seven of which travel – will have logged more than 8,100 round-trip miles while traversing multiple different regions of the country.
“I always laugh about the larger schools with their bowl games and their preparation. How about come on down here and do it in a different place every week. You don’t get 15 to 30 days between games,” Watson told Prairie State Pigskin.
The hours have been long as the unseeded Redbirds’ run has stretched through December and into the holiday season.
Yet you won’t find Watson complaining.
“It’s a good problem to have because if you’re dealing with it, you’re winning. That’s what every one one of us wants to do,” said the 48-year-old Virginia native, who is in his 17th season at ISU.
“I started about six months after Coach (Brock) Spack was hired,” Watson said.
For his part, Spack recognizes the work being done by Watson’s crew.
“Those guys have really done the job for us. Nick has it together,” Spack said. “He’s a consistent presence who cares about the pride in his work.”
That work often doesn’t offer much downtime, especially when travel hits the unpredictability of the postseason, where opponents and destinations are determined on a week-to-week basis.
“We work seven days a week. Sometimes it can be tricky to get everything done and get what’s needed. Our trucking company is fantastic. This time of the year, I talk with them three or four times a week,” Watson said.
There isn’t time to count the hours.
“They’ve been long. When school is not in session, we bump practice back an hour so not having to get up quite as early helps. But, you’re getting ready for practice and all the things we do for a normal day, and you’re tacking on scheduling logistics,” he said.
While Watson spends the bulk of his time on campus, his job isn’t left there.
“Whenever I leave the office, I come home and work there for another two hours or more,” he said. “Last Wednesday, I spent another four hours sewing jerseys because we had to put them on the truck Thursday (to leave for Villanova). I get some lectures from my wife periodically.”
‘That’s not an option’
For the record, Illinois State has played its four postseason games in Louisiana, North Dakota, California and Pennsylvania.
While the team and personnel flew to those sites, the equipment was sent ahead via a truck service the university uses and Watson coordinates.
“Davis (California) was a big challenge because it was about a 26-hour drive for the truck. We had to use two drivers,” he said. “Getting out there wasn’t the biggest issue, it’s getting back here (to Normal) with all the stuff we need for practice after winning. That means off the truck, laundered and back on the truck for the next trip.”
After ISU’s quarterfinal win at UC Davis, the Redbirds headed to Philadelphia for the semifinal round.
“Villanova wasn’t as far, but we had to have it all done and ready because our driver needed to get on the road Thursday,” Watson said. “You’re looking at other things – weather, traffic, potential accidents that slow you down. You have to calculate all of that as best you can so it gets there safely and on time.
“Everybody asks, ‘What happens if it doesn’t show up?’ Well, that’s not an option. You have to build in as many backup plans as we can.”
Second time around
Watson has been there and done this.
He was at ISU when the 2014 Redbirds won multiple road playoff games that culminated with a last-minute loss in the FCS national championship game played in suburban Dallas.
“This run is very similar, other than the fact that we played in the first round this time and have been on the road for all of them. But the coast-to-coast for the quarterfinals and semifinals is almost identical. Back then, we were at Eastern Washington and then at New Hampshire,” he said.
Watson relies on that experience from 11 years ago to assist him today.
“When we got done in ‘14, we sat down in our respective areas and wrote down what went great and what didn’t. We know what not to do this time around,” he said. “The more you do this, the more you learn.”
Third time the charm?
You won’t see Watson throwing a pass, making a tackle or calling a play. But don’t think for a minute that he doesn’t relish what this team has accomplished.
“I’ve said this for years — if you’re in this industry and you don’t want to win every time, you probably need to be committed to a mental institution because it’s a lot of work and a lot of stress and a lot of different things,” he said.
Watson is a Virginia Tech graduate. He worked on his alma mater’s staff when the Hokies lost the 2000 BCS national championship game to Florida State.
Watson wants ISU to knock off No. 2 seed Montana State as much as anyone.
“It would be fantastic to bring one home for Illinois State for the first time. This would be my third time in a national championship game, and I haven’t won one yet. I’m on the down slope of my career. It would be nice to have one of those,” he said.
Yet Watson knows this isn’t all about him.
“I want it for the kids – the players along with the ones who work for me. They’re going to have memories that will last them forever,” he said.
Watson also has an eye on the future.
“It would be nice to at some point after I’m gone from working here that I could point to the (national championship) sign hanging under the scoreboard and say, ‘I was part of that,’” he said.
Dan Verdun is a co-founder of Prairie State Pigskin. He has written four books: NIU Huskies Football, EIU Panthers Football, ISU Redbirds Football and SIU Salukis Football.
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