Watkins feels 2013 can be better than 2012

By Will Vandervort.

By Will Vandervort

Clemson wide receiver Sammy Watkins says this year’s Tigers have a chance to be every bit as good as last year’s 11-2 team, and maybe a little better.

That’s high praise about a team that will not play its first game until Aug. 31 when a top-10 Georgia squad rolls into Death Valley.

In 2012, Clemson had a record setting year, while winning 11 games for the first time since the National Championship season of 1981. The Tigers finished the season ranked No. 9 in the final USA Today Coaches Poll after knocking off then No. 7 LSU in the Chick-fil-A Bowl.

So why does Clemson’s star wide receiver think potentially the 2013 team could be better?

“There are a lot of guys stepping up that I did not see last year, myself included,” Watkins said. “I’m approaching the game and this season differently. I see other guys that are approaching the game the same way and a lot that are committed and are buying into the system.”

Watkins says there are players making plays in practice right now that last year did not make any plays.

“I just can’t wait to see what fall camp looks like,” he said. “Every guy seems to be focused on their weight and their body and doing their assignments.”

Clemson offensive coordinator Chad Morris agrees with Watkins, but he says how they compete in the fall will be based on how the players finish the rest of spring drills and if they carry over what they learned into the summer.

“It is all about creating depth, chemistry and continuity,” he said. “Those are things that it will take through the summer, plus hard work and going through skills and drills. That’s when you are going to win your football games. It is through skills and drills. That’s when the leadership really comes to a head.”

One thing that has Watkins excited about the potential of the upcoming season is the way the defense has been looking in practice. He says they have really gotten after the offense and have created a more competitive atmosphere during practices.

He has especially been impressed with the defensive line, sighting defensive tackles Grady Jarrett, Josh Watson, D.J. Reader and Carlos Watkins in particular. The Tigers’ star wideout has also been impressed with defensive backs Bashaud Breeland and Darius Robinson.

“With the defense, we are battling,” Sammy Watkins said. “It is not a one way thing. It is not just the offense winning. The defense is actually winning some days and that is a good thing.

“It is a competitive thing and I love seeing the defense win sometimes. I do not want to come out here and run all over them because that means the next team will do the same thing. I will say the defense has improved. The offense has improved too, but I love the way the defense is competing against the offense.”

And that’s why Watkins is saying, “I think we have a big chance at a run at it this year.”