ATLANTA – At the ESPN College Football Award Show, head coach Dabo Swinney was presented with his Home Depot Coach of the Year Trophy and quarterback Deshaun Watson earned the 2015 Davey O’Brian Award recipient.
Here is what we heard:
Despite all the hardship that Watson faced throughout his life and tearing his ACL last season, he knew that he was capable of getting himself to where he is today.
“I had faith in myself and I knew that I had an opportunity to be here as long as I keep grinding and just have my own expectations, I could be here,” Watson said.
The Georgia native has been to Atlanta countless times, but his favorite memories from the College Football Awards experience was bonding with the other athletes.
“Just meeting all the guys and hanging out with them, interacting with them, going to the mall with Christian (McCaffrey) and seeing how he is as a person. He is a great guy, so it has been pretty cool,” Watson said. “I’m enjoying it and I love coming back home.”
Upon the announcement of the Davey O’Brian Award, Watson said his heart was beating out of his chest. For a rare moment, the poised quarterback experienced what it was like to get nervous.
“Usually, I’m never nervous before any kind of awards ceremony or game, but for some reason today I was,” Watson said. “It was a good nervous, but it means a lot to be the first player at Clemson to receive this award…As he started to present the award, especially when the highlights were playing, my heart was beating fast and I was trying to breathe.”
Shortly after Watson was named college football’s best quarterback, Swinney was presented with his Coach of the Year trophy.
“I’m not even sure they got my name right, but hey you’ve got to start somewhere. It’s a blessing and again, it s a reflection of a lot of hard work by a lot of people. Coach of the Year is made by great players and by great staff, and that is what we have, ” Swinney said. “It has been a fun year and I am appreciative of Home Depot and all who voted on this award, but this is a team award, it really is. I do my part, but those guys go out and make it happen in between the lines. I am very grateful for our team and the staff that we have.”
However, Swinney could not stop complimenting his quarterback for all he’s accomplished so far at Clemson.
“Well that’s exciting because I think they got it right. I think he is (the best quarterback) and it is just awesome to see. I have known Deshaun since the ninth grade, and to see the things that we talked about coming to fruition, is pretty special,” Swinney said. “It is just a credit to this young man because this guy is an incredible preparer and just has the heart of a champion.”