By Will Vandervort.

Clemson quarterback Cole Stoudt is one cool customer. At least that’s the way defensive end Vic Beasley describes him.

The Tigers’ All-American defensive end says he feels comfortable with Stoudt running the offense and he doesn’t think it’s going to miss a beat despite the losses of guys like Tajh Boyd, Sammy Watkins, Martavis Bryant and Roderick McDowell.

“The way I hear Cole talk, he motivates me,” Beasley said. “With him coming into this year as the starting quarterback, it’s beneficial to this team.”

Head coach Dabo Swinney feels the same way. He was pleased with the way Stoudt handled the competition in the spring and how he earned the right to be the starting quarterback.

“I think we couldn’t have a guy more prepared to be the starter in his first game than Cole Stoudt, but just because he has excellent experience to draw upon,” Swinney said. “When he’s played, he’s played very well, and because of that he has a confidence that most first-time starters may not have and then the fact that he won the quarterback competition this spring, which was a tough competition.

“So I think he’s very confident. I think he’s got the respect of his teammates. He’s a good leader for us, and now he’s got to go perform as well as a starter just like he did as a backup.”

As the backup, Stoudt completed 86 of 119 passes for 742 yards and eight touchdowns with only one interception in the 22 games he has played in the last three years. He has a 72.3 percent competition percentage and a quarterback rating of 145.1 – second in school history in passing efficiency.

“I’ll prepare as I’ve always prepared for every game,” the senior said. “I’ll go in there, get in the film room, constantly study and prepare like I have for the past three years. Back then I used to always prepare like I’m going to be the starter, and now that I am the starter I’m going to prepare the same way constantly, put in even more work, while developing the team, being a leader and keeping the guys going.”

As for how he is going to lead the Tigers now that he is the starter, Stoudt says he doesn’t plan to change his approach. He is just going to be Cole Stoudt.

“I’m going to do the best that I possibly can,” he said. “I’m very comfortable with the situation I’m in. I’ve always been a relaxed kind of guy that goes out there and operates the system and plays the best I possibly can.

“The past couple years, every time I went in, I always maximized my opportunities. Last year I think I did that the best. I set a couple records for accuracy and passing efficiency, and I’m very proud of that, but I also have to continue getting better, myself better and the team. I kind of just go in there, have some fun with it, relax, and just go with my reads one at a time and just operate the system.”

Stoudt will be in good company as far as former Tiger quarterbacks that have replaced a legend of sorts. When Billy Lott replaced Steve Fuller in 1979 after waiting behind him for three seasons, he led the Tigers to an 8-4 record, which included a signature victory at Notre Dame.

After sitting behind three-time ACC Champion Rodney Williams for three years, Chris Morocco guided Clemson to a 10-2 mark in 1989, which included a victory at Florida State in Week 2. Will Proctor sat behind Charlie Whitehurst—who was 4-0 against archrival South Carolina—for three seasons, but he guided the Tigers to an eight-win season in 2006, which included Clemson’s only other win in Tallahassee, Fla., since Morocco.

So what legacy will Stoudt leave after replacing record-setting quarterback Tajh Boyd? Will his signature win come at Georgia on Aug. 30, at Florida State on Sept. 20, or maybe he leads Clemson to victory in both?

“He’s had great experience playing behind Tajh Boyd, and with Cole being a leader, I feel comfortable with our offense this year,” Beasley said.