When redshirt-freshman defensive back Jalen Watts-Jackson envisioned his first play-making performance as a Spartan, he did not foresee a 38-yard muffed punt return to defeat rival University of Michigan as time expired.

“I had no idea what was going on, because the guy I was blocking was like 6-foot-6 and I couldn't even see through him,” Watts-Jackson said. “Once I finally got past him I just saw the ball and I grabbed it. I looked up at the clock to see how much time we had left. At that point I knew I couldn't be tackled or didn't have time to kick a field goal or whatnot, and I started running.”

Watts-Jackson said his season-ending hip injury occurred while being tackled, not while being piled on after the play, but he said that obviously didn’t help the problem.

“A lot of people thought it happened under the pile, but as soon as I hit the ground I could feel it," Watts-Jackson said. "Even going back and watching the play, I could see my leg become like kind of limber like laying across my other leg.

“I was yelling like, ‘Get them off of me. Get them off of me,'" Watts-Jackson said. "It felt like I was under there for an hour. But after watching, I guess I wasn't under there that long, there were just a lot of people on top of me. Definitely being under the pile of all those people, being about 190 pounds, it's not that fun of an experience.”

But through it all, Watts-Jackson said he would do it all again if it meant a win for the Spartans.

“It was a lot," Watts-Jackson said. "But like I said, if I had to do it all over again, I definitely would."

“For the game to come down in my hands and me to actually win the game is just — I can't even find the words to explain.”

Watts-Jackson’s proud mother, Tera Walker, was in attendance at his press conference.

"Jalen has been a star in my eyes since he was in little league and he just never ceases to amaze me with the things that he does, but you know I thank my father up above,” Walker said. “He has put hands on Jalen.”

Watts-Jackson said he has been getting around with a walker, “because I like to stand and still be a little active,” he said.

“Honestly, they told me that really I'm not supposed to have any pressure on my hip for three months, but honestly it hasn't been feeling too bad or like anything that I can't handle or anything of that such,” Watts-Jackson said.

“But hopefully I heal faster than what they think. The trainers have been doing a good job of keeping in touch with me, calling me, asking how I'm feeling and making sure I'm taking my medicine and stuff like that.”

Watts-Jackson said his doctors told him it will be six to seven months before he is able to run, and that spring ball is a question mark for him right now, but Watts-Jackson hopes “something could give before then” so his recovery can happen as fast as possible.