All-American Xavier Watts Embracing Significant Role for Notre Dame in 2024

Expectations are high for Notre Dame’s defense entering the 2024 season. 

Safety Xavier Watts, an All-American and reigning Bronko Nagurski Award winner, is a significant reason for the high expectations. 

A year ago, Watts recorded 47 tackles and led the nation with seven interceptions, including two against former Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams, and the Nebraska native has found himself on just about every preseason award watch list entering his final year in South Bend. 

Watts, a 2024 Notre Dame captain, has embraced the recognition but also knows it doesn’t mean much in August. 

“It’s really cool because we’ve been here 5-6 years and all had to wait our time, grind for three years before we got on the field, so all that recognition in year 4-5, your last two years to be on national preseason lists is really rewarding,” Watt said of Notre Dame having several names in the national headlines. “We can’t pay too much attention to it. It’s a pre-season watch list. It doesn’t matter until you’re on the final list. I wasn’t on any preseason watch lists last year.” 

It’d be hard to duplicate the pure production of 2023, but Watts isn’t worried about that, as his focus is on becoming a better football player, and it starts with being an effective communicator.

“There’s a lot to think about presnap,” stated Watts. “That’s one of the things I’m trying to improve upon even more. Getting the call, relaying it to the rest of the DBs, maybe the linebackers. Making our calls, making our checks, and now, going forward, maybe looking at the formations. What is the offense trying to do to us? Put what we see on film and the field and try to communicate what they’re going to do with routes and stuff like that.” 

Development and improvement are why Watts returned to Notre Dame for a fifth season. Few would have criticized him if he had headed to the NFL after last season. 

Watts got his draft grade and then decided to return to school as he felt there was more he could do to improve as a player. 

“Some people really take that grade to heart,” Watts explained. “It might make them play worse, might make them play better. You have to disengage and not pay much attention to it.

“I didn’t think about deciding to come back until I had the meeting with coaches and they started telling me different things. I really wasn’t thinking about it.” 

Defensive coordinator Al Golden might be the one who can help Watts the most prepare for the next level as he’ll give his All-American candidate plenty of responsibility this fall. 

In fact, Golden has made sure to challenge Watts and cornerback Benjamin Morrison during preseason camp to do more.

“You're not talking about assignments,” stated Golden. “You're talking about the finite technique of the execution of the assignment. Whereas, if you have Leonard Moore over here working or whoever it is who hasn't played a lot. You're trying to get them in the right place, so that you can function as a defense. Whereas, those guys are really thinking at a higher level. ‘Coach, if they do this, should we do this? Hey, that was great. What you did last time, it was a great solution, but next time think about doing it this way.’ That's what we mean. “ 

And yes, Golden is empowering his best players to run the defense and take ownership of the defensive side of the ball, which has also led to the staff needing to be sharp every day they step on the field.

“They want that,” said Golden. “They wake up for it every day. There's symbiosis there because that's what motivates the staff. The staff’s got to be on their game. That's what gets us going because they'll know. Don’t bullshit the troops. They know if you're not telling them what you need to tell them.”  

Notre Dame will kick off the season in just over a week and Watts is more than ready to make the trip to College Station. 

“I’m just excited to do even more and get even better,” said Watts. “The guys we brought in, I feel like it's one of the most exciting and talented teams I’ve been part of. I’m excited to see what we can do.” 

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