West Virginia has offered Marques Watson-Trent from Georgia Southern.
2024 - Group of 5 All-America Second Team (HERO Sports)
2024 - Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year
2024 - All-Sun Belt Conference First Team
2024 - All-Sun Belt Conference Third Team (College Football Network)
2023 - All-America Honorable Mention (Phil Steele)
2023 - All-Sun Belt Conference First Team
2023 - All-Sun Belt Conference First Team (Phil Steele)
2023 - All-Sun Belt Conference Second Team (College Football Network)
2023 - Group of 5 All-America Third Team (HERO Sports)
2022 - All-Sun Belt Conference Second Team
2022 - All-Sun Belt Conference Second Team (Phil Steele)
2024-25: Played in and started 12 games … Saw action on 887 plays (team-high 823 defense, 64 special teams) … Tallied 120 tackles, including 7.5 for loss and 1.5 sacks, to go along with four forced fumbles, two quarterback hurries and a pass breakup … The Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year … Also named first-team all-conference … A second-team Group of 5 All-American as chosen by HERO Sports … Also named third-team all-conference by College Football Network … Had seven tackles, including half a stop for loss, against Boise State … Had 14 tackles, a forced fumble and a quarterback hurry in the win at Nevada … Had seven tackles against South Carolina State … Recorded another seven stops at Ole Miss … Posted 10 tackles, including 2.0 for loss, and a forced fumble in the win at Georgia State … Named the Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Week following the win over Marshall after posting 10 tackles, including 1.0 for loss, and two key forced fumbles late … Tallied 14 tackles, including 2.0 for loss and 1.5 sacks, to go along with a quarterback hurry and a pass breakup in the win over James Madison … Had eight tackles at Old Dominion … Missed the South Alabama game due to illness … Had 12 tackles, including half a stop for loss, against Troy … Led the team with eight stops in the win at Coastal Carolina … Recorded 13 tackles, including half a tackle for loss, to go over the 100-tackle mark for the third season in a row … Had 10 tackles against Sam Houston in the New Orleans Bowl … Finished his career with 365 stops, 10 tackles short of tying the school record for most tackles in a career … Made the Honor Roll in the fall.
2023-24: An honorable mention All-American as selected by Phil Steele … A first-team All-Sun Belt Conference selection … Also named first-team all-conference by Phil Steele … Named second-team all-conference by College Football Network … A third-team Group of 5 All-American as chosen by HERO Sports … Started all 13 games, playing 785 total snaps (772 defense, 13 special teams) … Led the team with 122 tackles, including 13.0 for loss and 3.5 sacks, along with two interceptions (one pick six), two quarterback hurries, two pass breakups and a forced fumble … Had seven tackles, including 1.5 for loss, in the opener against The Citadel … Posted 14 tackles, including 1.5 for loss, in the win over UAB … Had nine stops at Wisconsin … Recorded five stops, including 1.5 for loss and half a sack, in the win at Ball State … Named the Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Week after posting 14 tackles, a quarterback hurry and his first collegiate interception in the win over Coastal Carolina … Had seven tackles, including a sack, at James Madison … Posted 14 tackles, including 3.0 for loss and a sack, along with a pass breakup in the win over ULM … Had eight tackles, a forced fumble and returned an interception 50 yards for a touchdown in the win over Georgia State … Posted 14 tackles, including two for loss and a sack, at Texas State … Recorded eight tackles at Marshall … Had 13 tackles, including 2.5 for loss, and a pass breakup against Old Dominion … Posted three stops at App State … Recorded five tackles against Ohio in the Myrtle Beach Bowl.
2022-23: A second-team All-Sun Belt selection from the league and Phil Steele … Played in all 13 games, starting 11 … Was on the field for 930 total snaps (917 defense, 13 special teams) … One of six 100-tackle performers in the SBC … Finished third in tackles with 114, averaging 8.8 per game … Has 5.5 tackles for loss and a sack, plus three quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and three pass breakups … Had five tackles and a quarterback hurry in the opener against Morgan State … Recorded a career-high 10 tackles in the win at Nebraska … Got the start at UAB, posting seven tackles, including one for loss … Posted 10 tackles, including 1.5 for loss, against Ball State … Had six tackles, including half a sack, and also forced a fumble against Coastal Carolina … Led the Eagles with 13 tackles at Georgia State … Had six tackles in the win over No. 25 James Madison … Was chosen to wear the #0 jersey … Posted eight tackles in the win at Old Dominion … Had a career-high 16 tackles against South Alabama … Posted four tackles and a quarterback hurry at Louisiana … Had 12 tackles, including one for a loss, and a quarterback hurry against Marshall … Had eight tackles, including half a tackle for loss, in the overtime win over App State … Posted nine tackles, including one for loss and half a sack, along with two pass breakups in the Camellia Bowl against Buffalo.
2021-22: Played in and started one game … Played 43 total snaps (34 on defense, nine on special teams) … Got the start in the opener against Gardner-Webb and had two tackles and two quarterback hurries … Tore his ACL in the game and missed the rest of the season … Was granted a medical hardship waiver.
2020-21: Played in 10 games … Saw action on 106 total snaps (eight on defense, 98 on special teams) … Had six tackles on the season … Played seven snaps on special teams in the opener against Campbell … Was on the field for eight special teams plays against Louisiana … Played eight snaps on defense and 11 on special teams at ULM … Had a tackle against UMass … Played eight snaps on special teams against Coastal Carolina … Had a tackle against South Alabama … Had two tackles against Troy … Missed the Texas State game … Had two tackles at Army West Point … Did not play at Georgia State … Played nine special teams snaps against Florida Atlantic … Played 18 snaps on special teams against App State.
HIGH SCHOOL: Played football for Coach Zack Hayward at Blackhawk High … A second-team all-state selection his senior season by the Pa. Football News Coaches for the 4A team … Named his conference’s offensive player of the year as a senior at running back but was also named first-team all-conference as a linebacker … Led his team with 1,222 rushing yards … Scored 22 touchdowns … On defense, returned two interceptions for scores, had 112 tackles and five forced fumbles … As a junior, was second on his team with 656 rushing yards but first with a 6.8 yards per carry average … Also caught 11 passes for 217 yards, an average of 19.7 per reception … Had an interception and forced five fumbles … A two-time Beaver County football all-star, a two-time first-team defensive back, running back, linebacker and offensive player of the year … Received several accolades from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Beaver County Times … Ranked the No. 31 player in the state of Pennsylvania by 247Sports and the No. 199 linebacker in the nation.
PERSONAL: Born Marques D. Watson on November 1 in Pittsburgh, PA … Son of Tanusia Trent, Maurice Trent and Ian Watson … Has two brothers, Maurice Trent and Zealous Trent, as well as a sister, Onesty Trent.
MAJOR: Interdisciplinary Studies - Business (Graduated)
2024 - Group of 5 All-America Second Team (HERO Sports)
2024 - Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year
2024 - All-Sun Belt Conference First Team
2024 - All-Sun Belt Conference Third Team (College Football Network)
2023 - All-America Honorable Mention (Phil Steele)
2023 - All-Sun Belt Conference First Team
2023 - All-Sun Belt Conference First Team (Phil Steele)
2023 - All-Sun Belt Conference Second Team (College Football Network)
2023 - Group of 5 All-America Third Team (HERO Sports)
2022 - All-Sun Belt Conference Second Team
2022 - All-Sun Belt Conference Second Team (Phil Steele)
2024-25: Played in and started 12 games … Saw action on 887 plays (team-high 823 defense, 64 special teams) … Tallied 120 tackles, including 7.5 for loss and 1.5 sacks, to go along with four forced fumbles, two quarterback hurries and a pass breakup … The Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year … Also named first-team all-conference … A second-team Group of 5 All-American as chosen by HERO Sports … Also named third-team all-conference by College Football Network … Had seven tackles, including half a stop for loss, against Boise State … Had 14 tackles, a forced fumble and a quarterback hurry in the win at Nevada … Had seven tackles against South Carolina State … Recorded another seven stops at Ole Miss … Posted 10 tackles, including 2.0 for loss, and a forced fumble in the win at Georgia State … Named the Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Week following the win over Marshall after posting 10 tackles, including 1.0 for loss, and two key forced fumbles late … Tallied 14 tackles, including 2.0 for loss and 1.5 sacks, to go along with a quarterback hurry and a pass breakup in the win over James Madison … Had eight tackles at Old Dominion … Missed the South Alabama game due to illness … Had 12 tackles, including half a stop for loss, against Troy … Led the team with eight stops in the win at Coastal Carolina … Recorded 13 tackles, including half a tackle for loss, to go over the 100-tackle mark for the third season in a row … Had 10 tackles against Sam Houston in the New Orleans Bowl … Finished his career with 365 stops, 10 tackles short of tying the school record for most tackles in a career … Made the Honor Roll in the fall.
2023-24: An honorable mention All-American as selected by Phil Steele … A first-team All-Sun Belt Conference selection … Also named first-team all-conference by Phil Steele … Named second-team all-conference by College Football Network … A third-team Group of 5 All-American as chosen by HERO Sports … Started all 13 games, playing 785 total snaps (772 defense, 13 special teams) … Led the team with 122 tackles, including 13.0 for loss and 3.5 sacks, along with two interceptions (one pick six), two quarterback hurries, two pass breakups and a forced fumble … Had seven tackles, including 1.5 for loss, in the opener against The Citadel … Posted 14 tackles, including 1.5 for loss, in the win over UAB … Had nine stops at Wisconsin … Recorded five stops, including 1.5 for loss and half a sack, in the win at Ball State … Named the Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Week after posting 14 tackles, a quarterback hurry and his first collegiate interception in the win over Coastal Carolina … Had seven tackles, including a sack, at James Madison … Posted 14 tackles, including 3.0 for loss and a sack, along with a pass breakup in the win over ULM … Had eight tackles, a forced fumble and returned an interception 50 yards for a touchdown in the win over Georgia State … Posted 14 tackles, including two for loss and a sack, at Texas State … Recorded eight tackles at Marshall … Had 13 tackles, including 2.5 for loss, and a pass breakup against Old Dominion … Posted three stops at App State … Recorded five tackles against Ohio in the Myrtle Beach Bowl.
2022-23: A second-team All-Sun Belt selection from the league and Phil Steele … Played in all 13 games, starting 11 … Was on the field for 930 total snaps (917 defense, 13 special teams) … One of six 100-tackle performers in the SBC … Finished third in tackles with 114, averaging 8.8 per game … Has 5.5 tackles for loss and a sack, plus three quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and three pass breakups … Had five tackles and a quarterback hurry in the opener against Morgan State … Recorded a career-high 10 tackles in the win at Nebraska … Got the start at UAB, posting seven tackles, including one for loss … Posted 10 tackles, including 1.5 for loss, against Ball State … Had six tackles, including half a sack, and also forced a fumble against Coastal Carolina … Led the Eagles with 13 tackles at Georgia State … Had six tackles in the win over No. 25 James Madison … Was chosen to wear the #0 jersey … Posted eight tackles in the win at Old Dominion … Had a career-high 16 tackles against South Alabama … Posted four tackles and a quarterback hurry at Louisiana … Had 12 tackles, including one for a loss, and a quarterback hurry against Marshall … Had eight tackles, including half a tackle for loss, in the overtime win over App State … Posted nine tackles, including one for loss and half a sack, along with two pass breakups in the Camellia Bowl against Buffalo.
2021-22: Played in and started one game … Played 43 total snaps (34 on defense, nine on special teams) … Got the start in the opener against Gardner-Webb and had two tackles and two quarterback hurries … Tore his ACL in the game and missed the rest of the season … Was granted a medical hardship waiver.
2020-21: Played in 10 games … Saw action on 106 total snaps (eight on defense, 98 on special teams) … Had six tackles on the season … Played seven snaps on special teams in the opener against Campbell … Was on the field for eight special teams plays against Louisiana … Played eight snaps on defense and 11 on special teams at ULM … Had a tackle against UMass … Played eight snaps on special teams against Coastal Carolina … Had a tackle against South Alabama … Had two tackles against Troy … Missed the Texas State game … Had two tackles at Army West Point … Did not play at Georgia State … Played nine special teams snaps against Florida Atlantic … Played 18 snaps on special teams against App State.
HIGH SCHOOL: Played football for Coach Zack Hayward at Blackhawk High … A second-team all-state selection his senior season by the Pa. Football News Coaches for the 4A team … Named his conference’s offensive player of the year as a senior at running back but was also named first-team all-conference as a linebacker … Led his team with 1,222 rushing yards … Scored 22 touchdowns … On defense, returned two interceptions for scores, had 112 tackles and five forced fumbles … As a junior, was second on his team with 656 rushing yards but first with a 6.8 yards per carry average … Also caught 11 passes for 217 yards, an average of 19.7 per reception … Had an interception and forced five fumbles … A two-time Beaver County football all-star, a two-time first-team defensive back, running back, linebacker and offensive player of the year … Received several accolades from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Beaver County Times … Ranked the No. 31 player in the state of Pennsylvania by 247Sports and the No. 199 linebacker in the nation.
PERSONAL: Born Marques D. Watson on November 1 in Pittsburgh, PA … Son of Tanusia Trent, Maurice Trent and Ian Watson … Has two brothers, Maurice Trent and Zealous Trent, as well as a sister, Onesty Trent.
MAJOR: Interdisciplinary Studies - Business (Graduated)