When the term “most important” is given when describing a ranking of one player over another, it does not necessarily describe who the best players are on a team. Instead, it tells us the main or most important part of the team, without which it cannot really exist.
In other words, could Clemson have reached the College Football Playoff Championship Game last year without Deshaun Watson? And would they have had him there had those other “important” players had not been in place either.
Who are Clemson’s “Most Important Players” for 2016? We at The Clemson Insider have our own ideas, and today we reveal who is No. 4.
Jay Guillermo
This time a year ago, Guillermo was coming back to the team after fighting off his personal demons, unsure if he would ever play college football again. Now, heading into his fifth season at Clemson, the veteran center is entrenched as an integral part of Clemson’s offensive line. More than that, though, Guillermo seems ready to ascend into a new role as both the physical and emotional leader of the line.
“He has really, really taken care of his body since then and he is moving a lot better,” Clemson co-offensive coordinator Tony Elliott said. “He has a lot of confidence. He is happy. He is smiling. I think people are overlooking his leadership because of his sense of humor. He has an unbelievable sense of humor and he is able to rally the troops.
“That’s the biggest thing that you see is that he is happy. He sets the tempo. He does not mind being vocal, but he is backing it up with his work as well, so it is not just talk.”
Guillermo was a second-team All-ACC center in 2015. He started 13 games and played in all 15. Three times Guillermo was named the ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week, a first for a Clemson lineman since Stacy Long in 1989.
For his career, Guillermo has 30 knockdowns and played in 31 games, 14 as a starter.
Guillermo’s grit and toughness are critical to his success, which is what makes him so important to the team. He isn’t considered a tremendously gifted pro prospect, but his reliability and consistency are reminiscent of guys like Thomas Austin and Kyle Young who came before him.
The Tennessean has a flip-the-switch mentality that transforms him from a friendly face off the field to a ferocious fireball and leader between the lines.
“You just do things to get that commodore going, even doing things on the field,” Guillermo said. “After workouts, just going and doing fifteen minutes worth of steps. Fifteen minutes of steps and starts, just little things like that is what really brings us together.”
Guillermo became Clemson’s starter at center in Week 3 in 2015 after Ryan Norton went down with a knee injury. He started the Tigers last 12 games and played a major role in why they averaged 223 yards a game on the ground, the highest rushing average in 15 years.
“It’s always nice to reap the benefits of your work, but we still have a lot of work to do,” he said. “It’s a whole new season and a whole new team. We have guys that left and new guys coming in.”
Guillermo enters the 2016 season as the best center in the ACC with an eye on All-America honors. He has been named to the Remington Award Watch List. The Remington Award is presented each year to the nation’s top center.
–William Qualkinbush contributed to this story