By Hale McGranahan.

Though we’ve seen a version of this story before with Tony McNeal and Cole Stoudt trying to backup Tajh Boyd, freshmen quarterbacks Kelly Bryant and Tucker Israel step to the forefront of the spring practice conversation with Deshaun Watson still recovering from a torn ACL.

The participants in the 2015 version of ‘Who Wants to be QB2 for Clemson?’ are joined by 13 other freshmen: Four offensive linemen, four linebackers, two defensive linemen, a wide receiver and two defensive backs.

Searching for Watson’s understudy is a pretty big deal. Perhaps more significant than the race for the backup quarterback job is the turnover that Clemson had on the defensive line. With the departures of Vic Beasley, Grady Jarrett, Deshawn Williams, Corey Crawford, Josh Watson and Tavaris Barnes, the Tigers have plenty of holes to fill up front on the reigning No. 1 defense in the country.

Albert Huggins, who is expected to compete for time this fall, was was working with Marion Hobby and the ends when practice opened on Monday.

“He is a strong kid that has a great ability as a player,” said D.J. Reader, a projected starting tackle. “He has a great attitude. He takes coaching and he does not say much back. He is a player. He is a football player.”

While the line was the strength of last year’s unit, the 2015 Clemson defense could be lead by the secondary. Jayron Kearse is a big reason why. He thinks Kaleb Chalmers and Van Smith have started to fit in well with the defensive back group.

“Those guys just work. That’s it, they work. They’re willing to take that step to being great, whether it’s coming off a redshirt season or whatever goes through the future, they’re going to work,” Kearse said. “Those guys, that’s all I’ve seen from those guys. They’ve worked ever since they got here.

“Saturdays, they’re coming in here and working with us and things like that. They want to watch film with us. Those guys just work.”

Kearse believes all 15 of the early enrolled freshmen are cut from the same cloth.

“Those guys are dedicated and they’re ready to put on for this standard. Best is the standard,” Kearse said. “They got in here early, so that means they took care of business in high school. I don’t see any of them wanting to switch when they get here. Because from what I’ve seen, those freshmen that we brought in early, they’re all workers.”