Clemson quarterbacks coach Brandon Streeter is not going to sugarcoat it, the competition battle at quarterback is wide open. Kelly Bryant may be getting the first opportunity to show what he can do, but by no means does that mean he is going to be the reigning national champions’ starting quarterback in the fall.

Zerrick Cooper, who redshirted in 2016, will have the same opportunity, as will Tucker Israel, who was the fourth string quarterback during Clemson’s title run. All three, along with true freshman Hunter Johnson who enrolled in school earlier this month, will be vying to replace the departing Deshaun Watson.

As for Cooper, Streeter said the Jonesboro, Georgia native had a “great fall” getting prepared to compete with Bryant in the spring.

“We have used a lot of different tools to help him,” Streeter said. “The virtual reality stuff has been really good for him. He has been over with us for every practice. He comes with us to meetings and meets with me for half the time and then does virtual reality for half the time.”

By going to the meetings, Streeter says Cooper already has an understanding of how his meetings are run and what he expects each quarterback to bring to the table.

“He is learning kind of my meeting style and what I’m teaching the guys and then also learning the bases of our offense through the virtual reality,” Streeter said. “Then we go to the field, he was not doing a whole lot of active stuff, but mentally, he was watching every play. He stood right next to me the whole time. He is hearing the play. He is seeing the signals. He is visualizing a lot.

“It is one thing to hear it and see it, now he has to go do it, and that is what spring ball is about.”

Streeter said all of this has Cooper ready to compete with Bryant for the starting job.

“It truly is going to be a wide open battle,” he said. “I’m just excited about all of their opportunities to go compete and have that opportunity to show what they are all about.”

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