Former South Florida football player dies in stabbing

YBOR CITY, Fla. (AP) — Police say a former University of South Florida football player has died in a stabbing outside a Ybor City nightclub.

Elkino Watson, 23, died Sunday morning. The Miami native last played for USF in 2014. Watson was a defensive lineman who played in 45 games during his career at USF and had 36 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and two sacks in his final season with USF.

Desmond Horne, who competed for a position on the 2015 team, was also injured.

Former teammates and coaches remembered Watson on Sunday as a man who loved to dance and worked hard on the football field.

“We are deeply saddened and stunned by the tragic loss of Elkino Watson and the injuries suffered by Desmond Horne,” USF Head Coach Willie Taggart said. “Kino was a tremendous young man with a great smile and a big heart who was very much loved by our USF football family and will be sorely missed. Our hearts hurt for his daughter and his family. The thoughts and prayers of our team and our University are with the Watson family as they deal with this terrible loss and with Desmond Horne to make a full recovery.”

“There is nothing more profoundly tragic and sad than when a member of our student-athlete family, current or past, passes away or is seriously injured,” USF Director of Athletics Mark Harlan said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Elkino Watson and with Desmond Horne and his family as he makes his recovery.  We will work closely with Coach Taggart and his staff to provide our football team and all of our USF student-athletes with the support they need during this very difficult period.”

Police say the stabbing happened after a fight broke out near the nightclub parking lot.

The Associated Press contributed to this report