Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson played only two possessions in Clemson’s final scrimmage of the preseason on Thursday in Death Valley. After that, the coaching staff let Nick Schuessler and Kelly Bryant have at it as they continued battling for the backup quarterback position.

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said both quarterbacks had good days, and both made a couple of mistakes. With Clemson’s season opener at Auburn on Sept. 3 still two weeks away, Swinney isn’t in a hurry to name a backup.

“It’s one of those things that we’ll continue to let them practice,” Swinney said after Clemson’s practice on Friday. “We don’t play today and we don’t play tomorrow, and it’s not a decision we have to make right now. We’re going to get both of them ready. I know this — I feel like we can win with both of those guys.”

Swinney said Schuessler has been steady from day one. The redshirt graduate completed 12 of 22 passes for 177 yards and a touchdown in the scrimmage.

Bryant, on the other hand, started fall camp slowly, but has made substantial progress since.

“He’s had an excellent camp,” Swinney said. “I mean a great camp. I thought he started slow and then just took off.”

Bryant’s strength as a quarterback has always been his athleticism and ability to create on offense with his legs. However, Bryant feels his arm is starting to catch up.

Bryant has focused on staying in the pocket and not abandoning his reads to take off and run.

“I’m staying in the pocket a little bit longer, something I’ve been trying to work on,” Bryant said Friday. “Being an athlete, you want to run the first lane you see, but I’m staying in there and trying to deliver the ball and get the ball out in space.”

As a result, he is gaining confidence as a passer.

“I’m having more confidence in myself and my arm, rather than my feet,” Bryant said. “I’m trying to make plays out there for the guys and get the ball out to them. Just being a distributor of the ball.”

Clemson co-offensive coordinator Tony Elliot has also taken notice of Bryant’s improvement.

Elliott said after the scrimmage that Bryant has been making the right reads in the passing game, making the reads quickly and delivering balls with accuracy.

“Kelly is making progress,” Elliott said. “You’re starting to see more snap decisions, and him getting the ball in the right spots.”

As a true freshman in 2015, Bryant went 7-of-9 passing for 27 yards and an interception in eight games. During the Orange and White spring game in April, Bryant went 9-of-17 for 128 yards and two interceptions.

As the stats suggest, it has taken time for Bryant to develop to where he is now. It’s taken time for Bryant to become comfortable in Clemson’s offense, and to adjust to the speed of the college game.

But heading into the upcoming season with one season, two spring practices and two fall camps under his belt, Bryant said the game is beginning to slow down for him.

“I’m settling down, just having fun and playing football,” Bryant said. “That’s one of the main things that I’ve been working on since last spring.

“I feel like I’m more confident. I’m not thinking as much, and letting it come to me. I’m just having fun and playing football.”