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MATT GENTRY The Roanoke Times

Pulaski County's Luke Watson broke the school's single season passing record in his first year.

Former Pulaski County football coach Joel Hicks answered the telephone Wednesday in the Cougars' fieldhouse.

Caller: "I see where the school record for passing yardage was broken this year."

Hicks: "That's right."

Caller: "Well, then you should share in it since you never passed the ball when you coached."

Hicks (laughing): "Yeah, give me some credit there."

The person who deserves the most credit is the guy whose name is now in the Pulaski record books -- junior quarterback Luke Watson.

In 11 games, the transfer from Auburn has thrown for 849 yards, numbers that might seem pedestrian at other pass-happy programs but good enough to top the 831 yards amassed by Randy Meredith in 1985.

In fact, barring injury Watson appears certain to break Pulaski's career record of 1,435 yards set by Tim Venable from 1975-77.

Pulaski coach Jack Turner said he just found out Watson had broken a school record in the regular-season finale against Salem. Turner is somewhat busy this week preparing the Cougars (11-0) for Friday night's Region IV Division 4 championship game at home in a rematch against the Spartans.

"I had no idea," Turner said. "Heck, I've been so busy I didn't even know basketball [practice] has already started."

Watson knew plenty about Pulaski football history when he opted to transfer to Timesland's largest Group AA school from much smaller Auburn.

"From the time I started thinking about moving, I wanted to go where the talent was," Watson said. "I got to see them play last year at Christiansburg. I knew it was predominantly more running than passing."

Last Friday's 42-0 playoff victory over Blacksburg was a prototype Pulaski performance. The Cougars -- led by halfback Nubian Peak, and fullbacks Seth Parris and E.J. Dobbins -- ran the ball for 330 yards while Watson passed for just 14.

"It certainly is a blessing," Watson said. "They bring so much to the table. Seth is going to get you 3 yards every time. E.J., he breaks about three or four tackles on every run. Nubian, every time you hand him the ball it's just amazing to watch him run."

Watson is a key component in Pulaski's ground game too. He broke a 64-yard TD run on an option keeper in the 34-24 win over Salem and had a 60-yard TD sprint in a comeback victory over Hidden Valley.

Watson's run up the road from Riner to Dublin wasn't much longer. He was the quarterback on The Roanoke Times Sizzlin' Sophomore team in 2007 after passing for 764 yards and nine touchdowns.

Watson was one of three outstanding skill players to leave Auburn this year.

"I can't really go into that situation," he said. "Nothing against Auburn, but not many colleges are coming around there. There haven't been that many kids recruited."

Watson's eligibility at Pulaski County was contingent upon his family's moving to a new school district.

"My parents have put a lot of sacrifice into this," he said. "You can tell they really love me, to just pick up and move like that."

There are more than a few differences between playing at a small Group A school and in a program with Pulaski's tradition. The Cougars won the 1992 Group AAA Division 6 championship and were runners-up the following year under Hicks.

"It's a big change," Watson said. "At Auburn, our locker room and our weight room was the same thing. When I came here, it was overwhelming at first.

"I knew I could come in here and play, but I was way behind in weight and strength. They'd been here lifting since January. I was in baseball shape, but the first two weeks I was here I was winded. I knew then it was going to be an uphill battle."

Watson has six TD passes and just three interceptions. One of his few mistakes came last week when he lost his cool and earned a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

"We were trying to run the option and they blew it up," he said. "The guy tackled me and when he rolled over he still had my ankle. I threw the ball at him."

Had that ever happened before?

"Not this year," Watson said.

Has anyone thrown for more yards in a season than Watson?

Not in any year.