Tucker Israel was smack dab in the middle of the conversation for a backup quarterback job in 2015.

Then preseason camp began. In the midst of a competition with Nick Schuessler and Kelly Bryant, Israel broke a bone in his foot on the first day, putting an end to his case to be Clemson’s second or third quarterback.

“That set him back, obviously, because he had a good spring,” quarterback coach Brandon Streeter told TheClemsonInsider.

Last April, during the Orange and White spring game, Israel completed 8 of 16 passes for 110 yards.

Coming out of Lake Nona High School in Orlando, Israel broke Tim Tebow’s state record for passing touchdowns in a season (56). Israel also broke Florida high school records for career passing touchdowns (162). Over his impressive four-year run, he passed for 15,034 yards.

“Tucker, what he’s really good at is he understands things fast. He’s a smart kid. He can pick up stuff very quickly. He understands the big picture, for the most part,” Streeter said. “At a young age, that’s hard to do, so I think that helps him make his decisions quicker. He has that knack to know where to go with the ball.”

Israel, now a redshirt freshman, will be back in the mix for a spot on the depth chart. In his redshirt report, Israel told TCI that he wanted to catch the right eyes this spring.

“Just to improve everyday and prove I still can still do the things I did in the spring and show that I’ve learned a ton along the way,” he said, “Show (the coaches) that I’m ready to compete at a high level.”

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.