The 2011 Scouting Report: Enters preseason camp in a battle with Tyler Scott for the starting job at defensive end (opposite Vince Browne) ... Has worked diligently during the offseason in order maintain his starting role that he earned in 2010 ... Has developed into a tremendous leader on the defensive line ... Continues to improve his strength as well as his speed ... Exceptional work ethic and attitude.
2011: One of 10 NU players who was enrolled in graduate school ... Named to Capital One Academic All-District first team for a second straight year ... Played 51 career games with 21 starts ... Totaled two tackles against Boston College ... Turned in a solid effort against Eastern Illinois, totaling two tackles, including a 1/2 pass sack, and a QB hurry ... Credited with two tackles at Army ... One tackle vs. Michigan ... Named team's special teams performer of the week at Iowa ... Tabbed NU's defensive player of the game for his effort vs. Penn State (started in place of the injured Tyler Scott): season-high five tackles ... Totaled three tackles in road win at Indiana ... Registered two tackles, which included a 4-yard TFL, at Nebraska ... Picked up a solo tackle vs. Rice ... Notched five tackles in win over Minnesota ... Totaled one tackle and one QB hurry vs. Texas A&M ... Academic All-Big Ten honoree.
2010: Played in all 13 games with 12 starts ... ESPN The Magazine first-team Academic All-District selection ... Academic All-Big Ten ... Named a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar (compiled a 3.7 or better GPA for the 2010-11 academic year) ... 29 tackles on the season with 5.5 TFL's ... Notched five tackles vs. Texas Tech in the TicketCity Bowl, including an assisted TFL ... Against Illinois, posted four tackles, including one TFL ... One stop vs. Iowa ... Four tackles at Penn State ... First career blocked punt and one tackle at Indiana ... Two tackles with a career-best 1.5 TFL's vs. Michigan State ... Recorded four tackles with one TFL against Purdue, earning NU's Defensive Player of the Week award ... One TFL at Minnesota ... Two tackles and one QB hurry vs. Central Michigan ... Recorded two stops at Rice ... One tackle and one QB hurry vs. Illinois State ... Two tackles and one QB hurry at Vanderbilt.
2009: Played in all 13 games with two starts ... One stop vs. Wisconsin and two tackles at Illinois ... Started his second straight game at Michigan State ... Notched first career start against Miami and posted four tackles, including an assisted sack ... One QB hurry vs. Minnesota ... Dropped Syracuse quarterback Greg Paulus for a 13-yard loss in the fourth quarter ... Contributed an assisted tackle vs. Towson on his first career sack ... Academic All-Big Ten.
2008: Reserve defensive end ... Recorded first career tackle against Duke ... Named team's defensive practice player of the week vs. Michigan.
2007: Did not see action ... Named team's defensive practice player of the week vs. Michigan State and the team's special teams practice player of the week vs. Nevada.
High School: Rivals.com All-Region, SuperPrep All-Midwest and Velocity/PrepStar All-Region linebacker/defensive lineman ... Ranked 100th-best defensive end nationally by ESPN/Scouts, Inc., and 114th-best player overall in the Midwest by SuperPrep ... 2006 IHSA Football Coaches all-state selection ... 2006 Chicago Sun-Times and Daily Herald All-Area pick ... Three-time All-West Suburban Silver Conference honoree (2004-06) ... 2006 team MVP ... Tabb ed the West Suburban Silver Conference's 2006 MVP despite the Hilltoppers going 1-8 ... Team's Defensive MVP in 2005 ... Led team in tackles all three years ... Finished with 245 career hits, including 110 in 2006, and eight career pass breakups ... Versatile player who logged time at fullback, linebacker, offensive line and tight end during his prep career ... Two-time team captain ... Member of NHS and Spanish Honors Society ... Coached by John Karpowicz.
Personal: Born Kevin Francis Watt ... Son of Richard and Mary Pat Watt ... Father, Richard, played football at Hillsdale College and grandfather played at Harvard ... Brother, Chris, is a freshman player (offensive lineman) at Notre Dame ... Played against fellow NU classmate Jack DiNardo ... Earned his undergraduate degree (learning and organizational change major and history minor) in June, 2011 ... Pursuing postgraduate studies.
The Watt File
Q: Name five favorite songs (and artist) on your I-Pod:
A: 1. Fix You (Coldplay) 2. Summerland (Everclear) 3. Gainsville (Dillinger Four) 4. Great Lakes/Great Escapes (The Lawrence Arms) 5. Born in the USA (Bruce Springsteen)
Q: If you could dine with anyone from any period in history, who would it be?
A: Abe Lincoln
Q: What is the greatest lesson in life that you have learned?
A: Life is short, enjoy it while you can
Q: A song that best describes you?
A: Viva La Vida by Coldplay
Q: Something people would be surprised to know about me is:
A: I make a mean meatball
Q: My favorite place to visit is:
A: Michigan
Q: Facebook or Twitter?
A: Neither
Q: Which current NU football player is the biggest jokester on the team?
A: Josh Rooks
Q: My favorite thing about NU is:
A: Being close to Chicago
Q: Best part about being a Northwestern football player is:
A: The people
Q: Describe Coach Fitzgerald in five words or less:
A: Bleeds purple
Q: Describe your position coach in five words or less:
A: Passionate about football
Q: Most humbling experience:
A: 1st practice freshmen year
Q: What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?
A: Being alive
Q: The best book I have ever read is:
A: The Catcher in the Rye
Q: The person that inspires me the most is:
A: My parents
Q: When I played football as a kid, I pretended to be:
A: Dick Butkus
Q: My favorite pregame ritual is:
A: Eating the same meal in the morning
Q: If you could have a starring role in any film already made, which movie would you pick?
A: Ferris Bueller
Q: My favorite food is:
A: Mom's casseroles
Q: My favorite thing about playing at Ryan Field is:
A: The fans
Q: Best thing about Northwestern is:
A: the people
Q: My ultimate SportsCenter highlight would be:
A: recovering a fumble and running it for a touchdown
Q: My favorite television show is:
A: Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory
Q: If I were not playing football, I would be:
A: Traveling the world
Q: The three words that best describe me:
A: Dedicated, friendly, interesting
Q: My football-related superstition is:
A: Wearing ankle braces during the week, getting taped on gameday.
| DEFENSE | |||||||||||
| Season | Games | UA | A | Total | TFL | Sacks | PD | INT | FF | FR | BLK |
| 2008 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.0-0 | 0.0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2009 | 13 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 2.0-19 | 2.0-19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010 | 13 | 17 | 12 | 29 | 5.5-13 | 0.0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2011 | 13 | 11 | 13 | 24 | 1.5-8 | 0.5-4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 52 | 33 | 31 | 64 | 9.0-40 | 2.5-23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |