By Will Vandervort.
Clemson offensive coordinator Chad Morris says Cole Stoudt will be his starting quarterback this Saturday when the 22nd-ranked Tigers visit No. 1 Florida State. As for freshman Deshaun Watson, he will play, too.
The question, however, is how much will Watson play in Tallahassee, Fla.?
In the season-opener against Georgia the true freshman played three series, coming in at the end of the first and third quarters and then once near the end of the game. In Week 2 against S.C. State, he played in four series overall, leading the Tigers to four touchdowns.
“It’s probably similar to the Georgia game right now,” Morris said. “It is kind of like I said, Deshaun is going to play. We have been saying that all year long. We will have a plan for when he goes in. How much? No one knows at this point right now. We will see.
“Deshaun is going to play, but make no mistake, Cole is our starter.”
Some people might say that is a mistake. A lot consider Watson to be the better quarterback of the two players and they think he deserves the right to be the starter. But Morris does not exactly see it that way.
“We are excited about where we are with Cole right now,” Morris said. “Cole is excited about this ball game and the opportunity he has as the starter. Clemson has never beaten the number one team in the country before, ever.”
Can Clemson do it with Stoudt as the starting quarterback? Through the first two games, the senior has put up pretty good numbers. He has completed 63 percent of his 80 passes for 446 yards and a touchdown.
“He could have transferred sitting behind Tajh Boyd, but he has waited his turn and has played well for two ball games and that has to continue,” Morris said. “We are excited about it and he is excited about his opportunity.
“I’m excited to see what he can do.”
But there is a big contingency that wants to see what Watson can do with the offense fulltime. The Gainesville, Ga., native has completed 10 of 13 passes thus far for 213 yards and four touchdowns, but more importantly, he has not made that freshman mistake. He has not turned the ball over in seven offensive possessions and has helped the Tigers scored 35 points.
“Cole is our starter and I have said that,” Morris said. “Coach (Dabo Swinney) has said that and Coach has made that very clear. Going back to Cole, he was a young man that backed up Tajh Boyd for three years. He could have transferred and could be playing somewhere else. Two of the last three years he could have been playing, but he chose to stay here for the love of the university and our program. I think that says a lot about him.”
Morris says Stoudt isn’t getting a fair shake from the fans or the media.
“That is okay. That comes with the position,” Clemson’s offensive coordinator said. “That’s what fans are supposed to do and that’s what anybody is supposed to do. Anytime there is a situation where it is close to being a quarterback controversy – I remember hearing it when I was growing up with Danny White and Roger Staubach at Dallas. I remember hearing my parents around the house saying there is a quarterback controversy. That’s the talk on the radio, the internet and the fans – and that’s okay. That’s great. That is a great problem for us to have. Let me just tell you that.
“I’m really excited about this issue because that means we have two really good guys. But Cole is our starter and is going to Tallahassee with a great opportunity in front of him.”