By Will Vandervort.
Outside of Deshaun Watson, no Clemson freshman has made as much of an impact on the field as Artavis Scott.
“I did not expect that coming out of the gate,” he said Wednesday from the WestZone in Clemson. “To be honest, all I was worried about was how I’m going to perform.”
He has performed well.
Through two games, Scott leads all Clemson wide receivers with 205 yards on eight catches. His 205 yards also rank second in the ACC, and he is averaging 25.6 yards per catch.
“I’m going to do the things I know I can do,” the freshman said. “It is probably happening a lot faster than I thought it would be. It was good that it happened and as fast as it did because it is getting me equipped and making me build more of my game so I can build every week.
“It was a big surprise for me, though. I’m happy it happened.”
It’s happening because Scott dedicated himself to working hard so he could earn playing time this season. He enrolled at Clemson last January and went through winter workouts, spring practice and summer workouts in preparation for fall camp.
“He was the most physically ready of all the freshmen when he came in,” Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said.
And it showed. In his first game at No. 6 Georgia, Scott hauled in two passes for 41 yards, including a 35-yard reception where he climbed over the back of a defender and grabbed the ball of his chest.
Last week, against S.C. State, he caught six passes for 164 yards and scored two touchdowns. More importantly, his 164 yards broke Sammy Watkins’ record for most receiving yards in a game for a freshman and earned Scott ACC Receiver of the Week honors.
“Coming in this spring was big because I was able to get some work done,” Scott said. “I’m ahead in my school work and it allowed me to learn the system. I think it gave me a chance to play a little more so the coaches can trust me and know what I’m doing when I’m out there.”
Scott isn’t sure if his performance in the first two games earned him a starting spot over senior Adam Humphries, but he says that isn’t his concern.
“When I get my opportunity, I’m going to go in there and take advantage of it,” he said.
Scott should get plenty of opportunities on Sept. 20th at Florida State. A native of Oldsmar, Fla., he is looking forward to coming back to his home state.
“I can’t wait to go play at Florida State. It’s big,” he said. “I have been talking about it since I found out when we were going to play them. This upcoming week is big for us. I’m going back home and just living it.”
Oldsmar is near the Tampa area in Florida and Scott remembers traveling up I-75 to see the Seminoles play in a home game when he was a kid.
“Now I’m about to be playing in their stadium, it is going to be huge,” he said. “I can’t wait for it. It’s going to feel like I’m back at home because I have all my family members coming up and supporting me at the game. It’s going to be fun.”
As for playing the top-ranked Seminoles, and for the second time in three games playing on the road in that atmosphere, Scott says he isn’t going to worry about all of that. He is just going to focus on getting better and trying to help his team win a pivotal ACC game.
“You have to treat it as another game,” he said. “I mean it is a big crowd and all that stuff, but I don’t really focus on that. When I go into a game, I focus on one thing and that is to get a win and do what I can do to help the team out.
“When we go out there it is going to fun at the beginning when we are warming up and doing pregame, but when we go back out to play it’s game time.”