By Will Vandervort.

By Will Vandervort

CLEMSON — After Clemson’s win over Ball State Saturday, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney told wide receiver Sammy Watkins he better get back in a hurry or people are going to forget all about him.

Though DeAndre Hopkins has done a magnificent job in helping Clemson fans forget all about their All-American wide receiver the last two weeks, it’s doubtful anyone will forget Watkins is expected to make his return to the football field this week. The Tigers’ star wideout, who is considered to be one of the best playmakers in the country, will make his 2012 debut this coming Saturday in Death Valley after serving a two-game suspension from an arrest last May.

“I’m excited to get Sammy back,” Swinney said during his teleconference with the media Sunday evening. “It is going to be fun having him back on the field. Obviously, he needs to get some good work in this weekend and hopefully he will pick up where he left off.”

Where Watkins left off was a freshman season that saw him catch an ACC freshman record 82 passes for 1,219 yards and 12 touchdowns. He had 2,228 all-purpose yards as a receiver and kick returner, which ranked fourth in the country.

But the last two weeks Watkins had to sit on the side and watch his teammate, Hopkins, put up Watkins’ like numbers in the Tigers’ opening two games. Hopkins has totaled 19 catches thus far for 224 yards and four touchdowns.

In the process, he has broken one all-time record for receptions in a game with 13 against Auburn, and tied another against Ball State by becoming just the fourth receiver with three touchdown receptions in a game.

“After (Hopkins) scored his third touchdown, Sammy told him, ‘You can’t score no more. You are running away from me right now. That’s the best part about it,” Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd said. “Those guys compete game-in and game-out. But as long as we come out with a win, then we are fine.”

And being fine is what Swinney expects from Watkins against Furman this coming Saturday.

“He has been practicing,” Swinney said. “He went (with the ones) the entire camp, and we really did not send him over to the scout team until about a week before the Auburn game. We sent him over there and let him give (the defense) a good look.”

Watkins has gotten all of the individual workouts in since camp closed and still did drills with the first-team offense when the team came together. This past week, he moved back from the scout team, and worked exclusively with the first team offense.

“He is good to go and he is ready to go play,” Swinney said.

Spiller time. When hearing of the big numbers former Clemson running back C.J. Spiller put up Sunday afternoon for the Buffalo Bills in their season-opener, Swinney said, “That’s my man!”

Spiller rushed for 169 yards on 14 carries, including a 56-yard touchdown in the Bills’ loss to the New York Jets. Spiller’s numbers were the most by a former Clemson running back in an NFL game since Terry Allen rushed for 172 yards against the Pittsburgh Steelers nearly 20 years ago.

Ball State MVPs. Swinney said Boyd was voted by the coaches as Clemson’s Offensive MVP from the Ball State game, while defensive back Travis Blanks was named the Defensive MVP. And no surprise, punter/kicker Spencer Benton was named the Special Teams MVP after nailing an ACC-record 61-yard field goal on the last play of the first half Saturday.

Just a spat. Swinney and defensive coordinator Brent Venables appeared to get in a shouting match prior to Benton’s record-breaking kick, but Swinney says it was really nothing too big. Venables suggested to Swinney to take a knee instead of kicking the ball because he was concerned the final eight seconds might not run out and they might be forced to play defense on a Hail Mary pass or something had Benton missed it.

“I value everybody’s input, but ultimately I have to make the decision to go with it and that’s what we did,” Swinney said. “He did not want me to kick it.”

Ultimately, Swinney’s decision turned out to be the right one.

“How about that,” Swinney laughed. “A sixty-one yarder; sometimes I actually do something right. Look it there! What a kick.”

Injuries. Swinney said left guard David Beasley has a sprained MCL and could miss Saturday’s game as could linebacker Tig Willard, who has a sprained shoulder. Both will be reevaluated on Wednesday. Swinney said both seemed okay Sunday, and Beasley had very little swelling in his knee.

Reserve running back D.J. Howard, who also left the Ball Stat game with a shoulder injury, is going to be okay and will probably play this week. Linebacker Tony Steward suffered a minor hamstring injury. Swinney said it was disappointing that happened because they were hoping to get him in a little bit more at linebacker in the Ball State game.

Swinney said on Saturday that right tackle Gifford Timothy should be able to play against the Paladins. He sat out the Ball State game.