Five possessions, five touchdowns, that’s what 12th-ranked Clemson’s offense did when Deshaun Watson was running the show in Saturday’s 49-10 victory over Wofford.
“That’s our goal,” Watson said. “Every time we get the ball, we want it to end with a score. Having that, going five-for-five, that’s pretty special. I think we can carry that momentum on to next week.”
Watson threw for 194 yards and two touchdowns, while completing 18 of 22 passes, and he played just one possession in the second half. In those five possessions with Watson behind the center, Clemson totaled 321 yards and averaged 8.03 yards per play.
“We talk about him all the time because we get to see him every day,” Clemson co-offensive coordinator Tony Elliott said. “Everybody else only gets to see him on Saturday, and they did not get to see him much last year.
“It is refreshing to have him back there because he is ultra-competitive, very, very smart and very detailed. He prepares like a pro and he makes all of our jobs as coaches a lot easier.”
Watson especially makes it easier when he makes those “if then plays.” One of those plays came on the Tigers’ second possession. On second-and-10 from Terriers’ 17-yard line, he scanned the defense for several seconds before finally tucking the ball and running.
He ran up the middle, shook off one would-be-tackler and then hit the edge where he ran 15 yards to the 2-yard line. That set up Wayne Gallman’s 2-yard touchdown two plays later.
“He found that if then,” Elliott said. “Man! That kid is special.”
Watson wasn’t the only starter that was special. Gallman averaged 6.6 yards per carry, rushed for 92 yards and scored two touchdowns. Artavis Scott caught six passes for 75 yards and scored on a 35-yard touchdown in the second half when he took a screen pass and turned it into a touchdown.
The starting offensive line did not give up a sack, and the Terriers did not come close to even pressuring Watson all afternoon.
With that kind of efficiency it might be hard for Elliott and fellow offensive coordinator Jeff Scott to find something bad when they review the film Sunday afternoon.
“There is always going to be things to coach off of,” Elliott said. “We tell them all the time. It is never as good as it seems, and it is never as bad as it seems until you watch the tape. There will be a lot things we will find on tape that we will be able to improve upon, but there will also be a lot of things that we will be able to reassure and affirm that, ‘Hey, if you prepare right, then you are able to perform at this level.”
Watson was glad to be back out on the field performing.
“It means a lot. It is a blessing to be able to come back this season and play,” he said. “It was nice to just cut it loose. All the hard work that me and the other guys have put in and the rehab and what Danny Poole and Coach (Joey) Batson and those guys did all summer to help me come back and be prepared for this game made it pretty special.”