By Hale McGranahan.

Tucker Israel has been racking up some monster numbers over the second half of his senior season.

In each of the last five games, he’s thrown for over 380 yards. Twice, Israel has eclipsed the 600-yard mark. He’s also tossed eight, nine, seven and five touchdown passes in the last four games.

It’s been fun for the longtime Clemson pledge, but with playoffs starting on Friday, Israel was all business when he spoke with TheClemsonInsider earlier this week.

“I look at it as another day at the office,” he said, when asked about his second half numbers.

“I wouldn’t say that’s expected of me, but it’s been the past couple of weeks.”

More importantly, Lake Nona went 4-1 during that five-game stretch.

“Being able to lead my team and put up those type of numbers and having a chance to win…if I keep doing that and we keep winning games, I’m fine with that,” Israel said.

Through 11 games this season, he’s completed 297 of 444 passes for 4,191 yards with 53 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He’s also rushed 77 times for 485 yards with seven scores.

“I just feel like it’s been a different year from the past, just because I’m a senior, a little more mature in the game,” Israel said. “I kind of feel like when I was playing Pop Warner when I was the biggest kid out there.

“I’m able to make more plays because I’m more mature now, and just having chemistry with guys that have been here for three or four years…just because of all the reps I’ve been taking with those guys, give credit to those guys as well.

“Then, I guess, just the type of offense we’re running now. It’s a little different, it’s changed. We’re throwing the ball a little more than we have the past couple of years. It’s worked out, because we have a lot of short-yard plays where we just pick at them, pick at them, wait for them to come up, then we’ll go over the top. That’s worked well.”

The 6-foot-1, 202-pound Clemson commitment has completed 988 of 1,498 passes for 14,779 yards with 159 touchdowns and 44 interceptions during his high school career. He’s also rushed 224 times for 1,321 yards with 21 scores.

Now the proud owner of four state passing records: career completions, career yardage, career touchdowns and single-season touchdowns, Israel will go down as one of the most decorated quarterbacks in Florida high school history.

Clemson will host him for his official visit the weekend of the Georgia State game. Israel plans to be back a week later with his parents and cousin for the South Carolina game.

When he gets to Clemson for good in January, Israel plans to work hard, so he can “get the respect of the guys” who are already on the team.

“Deshaun (Watson) came in there and earned the respect (by) playing, playing very well, so he earned the respect of those guys,” he said. “Deshaun is already going to be there, so I’m going to have to fight and claw, do well in practice, to earn respect to be able to play.

“You never know what can happen here or there. You might find yourself in a game, so once you get into that game environment, you have to take advantage of it, play to the best of your ability and make plays.”