Along the West Bank of the Mississippi, directly across the way from downtown New Orleans, there's a levee that rises up beside the riverbank. At the top, about 40 feet up a steep, grassy hill, the skyline of the French Quarter unfurls into clear view over the river. To run up the levee and gaze upon that view of downtown was something of a rite of passage for kids in the neighborhood. But to the boys trained by Clyde Alexander, it was sacred ground.
"These last few months have been filled with a lot of healing, rest, and reflection," Watkins posted to her Instagram story. "Recovering from this injury hasn't been easy, and I want to say thank you -- your love, support, and kind words have truly lifted me up during one of the most challenging times in my life. "Because you've been with me every step of the way, I wanted you to hear it from me directly that following the advice of my doctors and trainers, I will sit out this season and fully focus on continuing to recover so I can come back to the game I love."
College football teams across the country are far from finished products this season, but the first weeks of the 2025 slate are already giving them a better sense of who they are -- for better or worse. At the same time, coaching staffs face the delicate balancing act of winning today and looking ahead, knowing some of the answers to weaknesses with their current rosters might come from the 2026 class and beyond.
