By Ed McGranahan.

Around here where even the duct tape is orange, nobody wants to say it out loud for fear it may be true, but the overriding concern for Clemson as practice began on Friday must be the quarterback.

If you engage in the debate about offensive tackles and running backs and receivers and corners and – as Dabo Swinney insists – kickers, no doubt there are questions. Yet in each case there are solutions.

Until Cole Stoudt proves himself on a clammy Saturday night between The Hedges before an intoxicated, hostile crowd howling “How ’bout dem hairy Dawgs,’ it’s unreasonable to inflate expectations for this team in this season. If Stoudt can’t do the job and it’s too soon for freshman
Deshaun Watson, then what?

As comforting as it may be to have him for at least one more season, Chad Morris won’t throw a pass or check down to an outlet with the blitz coming. What Morris can do is craft a scheme that tries to ease the weight on Stoudt’s shoulders, certainly not near what was required of Tajh Boyd the past two seasons. Of course that’s where the questions at tackle and the expectations at running back and receiver enter the discussion.

Once there’s a comfortable solution at right tackle — whether it’s Gore or Anthony or Davis or Mac Lane — a pecking order at running back and assurances that Charone Peake may finally be healthy enough to fulfill his bountiful potential, Morris can ease Stoudt into the game with an expanded script that may more likely resemble Malzahn’s approach last season at Auburn than what Clemson threw at Ohio State. Plus, after years of trying to determine whether tight ends were worthy, Clemson began to figure it out shortly after Swinney became head coach and now there’s a stable of talent that can help in the run game and passing game. That should be comforting.

The largest security blanket for the offense should be the defense. Brent Venables has assembled a salty unit, deep and nasty and quick, human drones with a nose for the ball. So much of the focus has been on Vic Beasley, and no doubt he could be the premier pass rusher in the nation, but there’s so much talent and skill on the defensive line.

Beasley, tackle Grady Jarrett and middle linebacker Stephone Anthony could become college football’s version of Bermuda Triangle.

With Jarrett stirring havoc inside and Beasley, Crawford, Lawson and Barnes ranging wide and deep, with Anthony and safety Jayron Kearse stalking unsuspecting prey and with Mackensie Alexander daring teams to throw in his neighborhood, this could be special. The immediate benefit for Stoudt could be frequently shorter fields and quick scores to build his self-confidence if Georgia makes a run late in the game, down the road at Tallahassee or on Nov. 29.

By all accounts, Stoudt has done everything expected to prepare for his one and only moment. After watching Boyd for three years, he saw the benefit if need be of taking the team by the scruff and dragging it with him. Fortunately he has plenty of help, principally from Jarrett, who may finally receive the attention he deserves.

Stoudt’s reported to practice after weighing 231 pounds, up from 200 his freshman year when he looked like a stick figure. The additional weight should be useful if right tackle becomes a revolving door. Last year Clemson allowed 35 sacks, more than twice that in tackles for loss, and Boyd seldom missed a snap.

The picture of consistency, Stoudt’s mechanics are strong and his passes accurate, seeming to float without fluttering. Stoudt seems to see the whole field and has the cool to work through his progressions until he finds the best option while avoiding some of the bonehead decisions that were costly.

At the same time, it remains to be seen how he’ll handle the pressure. Swinney likes to point out that Stoudt “has been productive,” but rarely with a game in the balance. Though he’s completed 72 percent of 119 passes and thrown only one interception, most of that has been against inferior talent or late in games.

Now he’s about to face Georgia instead of S.C. State or Furman.

“Right now it’s clear,” Swinney said. “Cole Stoudt is the starter.”

And there’s not a shred of concern? Right!?