Tre Watson Named Defensive Backs Coach

BERKELEY – Cal football head coach Justin Wilcox announced Friday that Tre Watson has agreed to become the Golden Bears' defensive backs coach. Watson, who was among a group of 30 coaches listed in 247Sports' "30Under30" last season, spent the 2020 campaign as the defensive backs coach at UNLV following two seasons as a defensive graduate assistant at Oregon in 2018 and 2019.

"Tre is one the nation's top young coaches and rising fast in our profession," Wilcox said. "He brings a high level of energy and enthusiasm to the table. Tre has always impressed me with his work ethic, knowledge of the game and tremendous attitude ever since we coached him at Washington. He developed an excellent rapport with the student-athletes he worked with at Oregon and UNLV over the last three seasons, and he took advantage of a great opportunity he had to work closely with coach Heyward at Oregon. That helped him lay an excellent foundation for his coaching career."

"I want to thank God for this opportunity," Watson said. "I have learned and grown a lot from the places I have been, and I'm very excited to be a part of this family, join a terrific staff and represent a program that is on its way up under great leadership from coach Wilcox. Go Bears!"
 
Tre Watson, Defensive Backs Coach

• Oregon won a Pac-12 title (2019), a pair of bowl games – Redbox Bowl (2018) and Rose Bowl (2019) – and compiled a 21-6 (.778) record during his two seasons as a defensive graduate assistant with the Ducks, going 9-4 in 2018 and 12-2 in 2019
• Oregon intercepted 37 passes during his two seasons with the Ducks, ranking No. 2 nationally in 2019 (20) and tied for 11th in 2018 (17)
• Coached Seattle Seahawks' safety Ugo Amadi, 2021 NFL Combine invitee Jevon Holland and 2019 Freshman All-American Verone McKinley III during his coaching tenure at Oregon
• Hired for his first full-time collegiate coaching position as the defensive backs coach at UNLV in 2020 after working on the same staff as first-year UNLV head coach Marcus Arroyo in 2018 and 2019 at Oregon
• Spent three years in Seattle from 2014-16 training NFL players in the off season and former college players for the NFL Combine in between his playing and coaching career, working primarily with Seattle Seahawks' and former Washington players including Budda Baker, DeShawn Shead, Shaq Thompson, Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright
• Finished his collegiate playing career with two seasons at Washington in 2012 and 2013, earning a scholarship prior to his 2012 redshirt junior campaign after originally joining the Huskies as a walk-on transfer from Central Washington
• Compiled 74 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss (-5 yards), two interceptions that he returned for 118 yards including an 84-yard touchdown, 12 pass breakups, 14 passes defended, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery while playing in all 26 games possible during his two seasons at Washington
• Played in all 11 games (10 starts) as a 2010 sophomore at Central Washington and finished with 28 tackles, two interceptions including one he returned 40 yards, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and one blocked kick to help the Wildcats to an 8-3 overall mark and a 7-1 record in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference
• Played in 10 games as a 2009 freshman at West Hills College, notching 34 tackles, two interceptions including one he returned for a touchdown, six pass breakups and eight passes defended
• An All-State player at Kennedy High School as a 2008 prep senior who helped his squad to a 9-2 record, a Seamount League title and a state quarterfinal berth as a running back who scored 35 touchdowns and finished with 1818 rushing yards

Tre Watson Coaching History
Season: Team (League) – Coaching Position (Postseason)
2018: Oregon (NCAA Division I FBS) – Graduate Assistant, Defense
2019: Oregon (NCAA Division I FBS) – Graduate Assistant, Defense
2020: UNLV (NCAA Division I FBS) – Defensive Backs
 
Tre Watson File
Birthdate: May 17, 1991
Hometown: Seattle, WA
High School: Kennedy HS
College: Washington, 2013, BA, Communication
Family: Wife – Taryn