Clemson entered the 1978 football season as the preseason favorite to win the ACC Championship. Steve Fuller, who won ACC Player of the Year honors in 1977 after leading the Tigers to their first bowl appearance in 18 years, was the favorite to win the conference’s player of the year award, again.
The hype for Fuller, who wore the No. 4 jersey, and the Tigers was at an all-time high. Fans were talking about a possible ACC Championship, and more. Does it sound familiar?
As Clemson winds down fall camp, and begins preparation for the 2015 season, another guy who wears the No. 4 jersey has the same hype and expectations placed on him and his Clemson teammates. Watson was named the preseason favorite to win ACC Player of the Year honors by the media last month, while 12th-ranked Clemson was dubbed the media favorite to win the conference.
Can Watson, who is considered to be a dark horse in the Heisman Trophy race this year, deliver the way Fuller did? Fuller guided the Tigers to the 1978 ACC Championship and an 11-1 record, which included a win over Ohio State in the Gator Bowl.
Clemson finished that year ranked No. 6 in the Final Associated Press Football Poll after winning 10 straight games to close the season.
“I don’t put pressure on me, or my coaches and teammates,” Watson said. “I just do my job and everyone else does their job, and we will not have any pressure. We will just go out there and have fun. We will do what we love to do.”
Though today’s offensive styles are different than they were 37 years ago, Fuller was just as dynamic as Watson. Running Clemson’s triple-option offense, Fuller rushed for 10 touchdowns and threw for seven more in 1978 as he averaged 200 total yards a game. He had a 75-yard touchdown run in 1978 and rushed for 649 yards – third best on the team.
Fuller was also third on the team in rushing in 1977 with 437 rushing yards and six touchdowns, while throwing for 1,655 yards and eight touchdowns. An All-American, Fuller finished his Clemson career as the all-time leader in total yards (6,096) and passing yards (4,359). His pass interception avoidance percentage of 3.33 was second best in NCAA history at the time of his graduation.
It wasn’t uncommon to see Fuller diving and hurdling defenders, either, as he tried to get into the end zone back in the day. Clemson retired Fuller’s jersey number in 1979 and then placed him in the Ring of Honor in 1994. He was also named the quarterback to Clemson’s All-Centennial Team in 1996 and to the ACC’s 50th Anniversary Team in 2002.
In 2014, with Fuller’s permission, the No. 4 jersey was taken out of retirement for Watson. But Fuller is honored with a patch on Watson’s right shoulder that says FULLER (1975-’78) with Tiger Paws on the top and the bottom.
“Every time I put (my jersey) on, it is an honor to have this number,” Watson said. “It’s an honor to have this jersey on. This opportunity I have to come and play football here is very big. The position I am in, I don’t take it lightly.”
That was proven last year when Watson came in an immediately made a name for himself. He honored what the No. 4 jersey means to Clemson people by throwing a school-record six touchdowns in his first career start against North Carolina. In his second start, like Fuller once did, he hurdled a defender on his way to the end zone in the Tigers’ 41-0 victory over NC State.
“I have seen a little bit of film on him, but not too much,” Watson said. “But Steve is a great guy, great person and was a great athlete back then. He was just something special.”
Watson has a chance to be just as special, if not more, by the time he puts the No. 4 jersey back in retirement. He is already considered a legend of some sort after his gutty effort to play with a torn ACL against rival South Carolina. He threw for 269 yards and two touchdowns on 14 of 19 passing in the Tigers’ 35-17 victory. He also had two rushing touchdowns.
“I’m just out there loving this game,” Watson said.
And Clemson fans love the fact he is wearing No. 4 why he does it.