Deshaun Watson was not nervous about getting back on the practice field for the first time in eight months on Tuesday. No, he was excited about it, and it showed.

Despite wearing a brace on his left knee for precautionary reasons, Watson was running, jumping and throwing with ease as Clemson opened fall camp at the Indoor Practice Facility in Clemson.

“I was very excited. During meetings and when we reported yesterday, I had a big smile on my face,” the Clemson quarterback said. “I’m just blessed to be able to play the game again, being out there with my teammates and just to go out there and have fun and do something I love.”

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney was also excited to have his all-star quarterback back on the field.

“He was outstanding,” Swinney said smiling after practice. “He looked like he had just played a game last week. Deshaun has a great work ethic and put in a lot of time over the spring and summer. He is one of the most disciplined and prepared players I have seen and it was great to have him back at practice today.”

In meeting with the media after Tuesday’s practice, Watson said he was cleared to practice in camp last week, though he has been cleared to do just about everything else since he reported for voluntary summer workouts in May.

The preseason favorite to win the ACC Player of the Year Award, said he progressed with each day in the summer and that his knee feels really good.

“I can’t really tell if I’m 100 (percent) or not. I feel good,” he said. “They cleared me to play so I’m just out there helping my team out.”

Tuesday was the first time Watson practiced at full speed since beating South Carolina on Nov. 29, when he played with a torn ACL. He had surgery to repair his left knee shortly after that game, forcing him to miss spring practice while rehabbed it.

“I just try to go out there and do what I can do,” he said. “I’m not going to go out there and worry about taking hits. That’s part of the game. I’m not going to shy away from that. Of course, being the quarterback, you want to limit the hits and slide when you need to. I’m going to try and protect myself and make sure I do my job.”

Watson led Clemson to four wins in five starts in 2014, as he completed 68 percent of his passes with 14 touchdowns and just two interceptions. His 188.6 passing efficiency rating was best in the nation among quarterbacks with at least 125 passes.

“I’m like everyone else,” Watson said. “I’m trying to get back in football shape. The first day was very hot, had to get a lot of things going and installing, but nothing really. I have been working and training so hard that I feel comfortable about my knee and I feel good going out there.”

He also feels good about the Tigers chances this fall. The Clemson quarterback said he doesn’t worry about all the expectations placed on himself and his team. He understands he and the Tigers have huge targets on their backs as the favorites to win the ACC, but if they just play the way they are capable of playing, then none of that will matter.

“We don’t worry about other people’s expectations,” he said. “We know that we have a job and right now we are worried about the first day of practice and tomorrow will be the second day. I do my job and everyone else does their job, and we will let everything else take care of itself. We don’t worry about everyone else’s expectations.”