SUNSET — The goal for the Clemson football team in 2015 is to play in 15 games. That is what head coach Dabo Swinney told the media Wednesday night at his annual media golf outing at The Reserve on Lake Keowee.

To do that, it means the Tigers will not only have to make it into the College Football Playoff, but also to the National Championship Game.

“On paper, I think we are built to make a run at Clemson. I think we are in the midst of that and there is a lot that goes into it,” Swinney said.

Part of that depends on the health of quarterback Deshaun Watson. Swinney announced the all-everything sophomore has been cleared to practice when the team opens up fall camp on Aug. 4. Watson is coming back from surgery in December where he had the ACL in his left knee repaired. He missed all of spring practice, though he attended every practice, while taking what he and Swinney called “mental reps.”

“It is good to kind of get that behind us,” Swinney said.

With Watson back in the fold at quarterback, Clemson instantly becomes a championship caliber team, and Swinney is the first to recognize that fact. Besides the talented quarterback, the Tigers also return six running backs that are more than capable of being a featured back. They return All-ACC wide receivers in Mike Williams and Artavis Scott. He likes the tight end situation with Jordan Leggett and Stanton Seckinger healthy and back in the mix, plus the additions of redshirt freshmen Milan Richard and Cannon Smith.

Also, despite the defection of left tackle Isaiah Battle, he feels great and confident about what he has on the offensive line.

“This is a different team. Offensively, we have way more knowns than we did this time last year. I feel good about what we have,” Swinney said. “I think we have a chance to have an excellent year, offensively.”

Defensively, it might be a different story. Even with that, however, Swinney is confident in what they have in place. Though they have to replace eight starters, and three key reserves, from a unit that led the nation in 11 different categories in 2014, the Tigers return guys like defensive end Shaq Lawson, defensive tackles D.J. Reader and Carlos Watkins, linebacker Ben Boulware, safety Jayron Kearse and cornerback Mackensie Alexander.

“Defensively, we led the nation in eleven different categories last year and eleven guys on that team are now in the NFL. I don’t know if we can lead the nation in eleven categories (this year), but I don’t think we have to, either,” Swinney said. “But I do think we can be one of the best defenses in the country. I think if you can be a top twenty or top twenty-five type of defense, and maybe be a little better in certain areas, I think that might be the type of consistency we need to maintain on that side of the ball.

“I don’t think we should drop down and be a sixtieth defense in the country. I think our roster is better than that. We have excellent coaching. Guys have to decide, are they going to do what it takes to be one of the better defenses.”

Swinney says time will tell where his 2015 team ranks with those of the last four years. He admitted in 2011 there were a lot of guys from that championship team they really did not know a lot about. Guys like Grady Jarrett, Stephone Anthony and Vic Beasley to name a few.

“As you look back three or four years later, man! There were some ball players,” the Clemson coach said. “I think that is a better measure. Two years, three years down the road you look back at this team and you can have a better litmus test, if you will.

“I think we are a talented roster as far as how we recruited. Will those guys develop like the other talented rosters that we have had – intangibles, leadership, work ethic and chemistry, we will see. I definitely think it is a very good roster. I don’t think we have any weak spots. We have some inexperience. We have some growing up to do and a lot of coaching to do in some areas. I don’t think there is any spot on our team where we are inefficient, compared to our competition from a talent standpoint.

“The talent alone doesn’t win. It just doesn’t,” Swinney continued. “It is commitment, their work ethic, it’s those guys willingness to do the things they need to do and to take their talent and be great with their talent and it is unselfishness. There are just a lot of things that go into it from a team standpoint.”