PINEHURST, N.C. – Deshaun Watson won’t appear at the ACC Kickoff before next year, which dismayed and disappointed reporters hoping for an audience with Clemson’s ultra-talented quarterback.

Clemson conceded the quarterback spotlight at this year’s media scrum, bringing offensive lineman Eric Mac Lain and defensive tackle D.J. Reeder, a pair of seniors at two critical positions and significant to the team’s developing leadership.

Both are glib and engaging, assets to the program and the school, but they’re not Watson. Not the face of Clemson football. Not the player who beat South Carolina on one healthy knee. Not the player who off an injury shortened season has been mentioned as a potential Heisman Trophy candidate.

By the end of the season, he could be the face of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

And as more than one reporter lamented he’s not here.

Traditionally Clemson selects a senior from each side of the ball, so there shouldn’t have been much surprise, but the ACC struggles to capture the level of national attention common to the Southeastern Conference or the Big 10. Watson might have helped. On a Monday, with the final round of the British Open, a light baseball schedule and the SEC coaches at ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Conn., the ACC had a window.

Admittedly the league would have preferred having Watson, but each school makes its choices without interference. So, the 28 players at Pinehurst Resort’s Carolina House consisted of assorted linemen, backs, receivers, a kicker, a punter and five quarterbacks.

None of them move the needle, said one nonplussed reporter.

To be fair, quarterbacks should play a huge role as the ACC tries to grow its competitive footprint this season. Florida State and Clemson are clearly the favorites in July, but because they’re in the same division, the Nov. 7 game in Death Valley could ultimately determine the ACC champion. In fact, for the first time in several seasons neither quarterback from the two was here. Former Notre Dame QB Everett Golson could force Sean Maguire to the bench for one more season.

Otherwise, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami, North Carolina, N.C. State and Virginia Tech are viable threats. Louisville didn’t send a quarterback either.

Each quarterback in attendance has a worthy story.

Jacoby Brissett transferred to N.C. State from Florida and had a major impact on Dave Doeren’s young program in their first season together. Similar in style to Watson and rival Williams, Brissett said he’s distinctive in that, “nobody does Jacoby better than I do Jacoby.”

He and Marquise Williams of North Carolina bonded working the Manning Passing Academy. Entering his third season as North Carolina’s starter, Williams said he spent the offseason taking swim lessons with his English bulldog Bella who likes watching TV and trying to develop relationships with teammates he hadn’t known well.

“It’s coming out of our comfort zone, getting to know other people,” he said. “getting everybody to come together, being like a family.”

Justin Thomas plays a much different game than the others, at Georgia Tech contributing as a primary run threat in an option scheme, and wants to be considered one of the best. Tech doesn’t apologize for being a bit of a maverick. “It was working last season what we were doing,” Thomas said, “so there was no reason to change it.”

And Brad Kaaya, ACC Rookie of the Year with nearly 3,200 passing yards and 28 touchdowns as a freshman at Miami, said he’s keenly aware of the depth of quarterback talent in the league.

“Quarterback play is essential to every single team,” he said. “As long as there’s good quarterback play in our league it’s going to make the conference pretty exciting, some good matchups.

Kaaya met Watson a few years ago at one of those summer showcases in Oregon and counts him as a friend.

And he probably would have liked Watson to be here, too.