Over the next few weeks, we will take a look at each position on the football team to examine where each player stands right now in his group on the depth chart. We will look back on the 2014 season for analysis and attempt to forecast what the 2015 depth chart might look like in a few months, including early thoughts on the mid-year enrollees. The listed class for each player is his 2016 designation. Today, we begin with a look at the quarterback position…
- Deshaun Watson, Jr.
There really is no suspense here. Watson is clearly the best quarterback on Clemson’s roster, and it’s not even close. The preseason 2016 Heisman Trophy favorite is the first quarterback in FBS history to throw for 4,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards in a single season. That’s pretty impressive, and yet, Watson has to find a way to have an encore performance in 2016.
Full health is obviously a big key, and Watson looked to be as healthy as he has been in a Tiger uniform down the stretch of the season. He dominated the ball in the CFPNC (that’s the national title game) in breaking Vince Young’s single-game total offense record for a title tilt. It was a performance indicative of his workload and versatility as utilized during the second half of the season.
Certainly there are some things Watson will say he needs to work on during the spring and summer to improve, but there really aren’t any flaws in his game. He can do anything and everything that could ever be asked of a quarterback within the context of a game. Continued refinement of his ability to read coverages and make decisions in the zone read game should help him make peripheral improvements.
In terms of making throws, Watson’s only weaknesses—and they are miniscule—are underthrowing balls down the sideline (especially wheel routes) and putting the ball in jeopardy due to his tendency to trust his arm too much. Those are correctible issues during the offseason.
- Kelly Bryant, So.
It isn’t hard to find someone hanging around the Clemson football program who feels very strongly that Bryant’s upside is greater than Watson’s. This is primarily because of his freakish athleticism packed into a bigger frame and the arm strength he already possesses. We saw that on several occasions in 2014, especially the Miami game.
In today’s college game, it’s difficult to have a refined backup quarterback. Often, the player in that role fits neatly into one of two stereotypes: a statue with little mobility or a runner who can sometimes throw the ball. Bryant would definitely be the latter.
Even dating back to high school, Bryant’s learning curve has been advanced. He went from being almost exclusively a runner to playing in a spread offense at Wren High School that required him to operate out of the shotgun, many times with an empty backfield. In his time in that system, Bryant progressed significantly as a thrower and reader of coverages, and he has continued that trend at Clemson.
For Bryant to take the next step, he will need to further accelerate that learning curve. He still has a long way to go in terms of making some of the finer throws and reading more complex coverages. Otherwise, Clemson’s offense will need to resemble Ohio State’s in order to move the ball, which means a heavy skew toward the run as opposed to the balance featured often in 2014.
Bryant is capable of running some iteration of Clemson’s offense, but he is still leaps and bounds behind Watson as a field general and thrower of the football.
- Tucker Israel, RS Fr.
Israel is exactly what Clemson needs right now. He has some ability, having set several passing records as a high school quarterback in Florida. He has shown glimpses in his practice reps. He has displayed some characteristics of a leader in the locker room and on the field.
However, Israel isn’t at the level of those ahead of him on the depth chart. Even if he hadn’t been out for the year due to injury, he likely would have redshirted. He is small in stature but doesn’t offset that by being super elusive or throwing well on the run. I doubt he will ever see the field at Clemson, but he has grown fond of the school, meaning he may stick around unlike the wave of transfers we have seen recently at major programs.
If you haven’t already order your copy today of Guts & Glory – Tales of Clemson’s Historic 2015 Football Season to help you celebrate and remember this special season.
