Though he does not say much, Deshaun Watson’s actions don’t go unnoticed. His Clemson teammates notice that he comes in early to watch film and stays after practice to throw the football to his receivers.

They notice that their quarterback comes to every meeting prepared. They notice he will ask questions and they notice he takes notes.

Unlike Watson, linebacker Ben Boulware is outspoken. He not only leads by hard work and determination, but he is a vocal leader too. He is not afraid to talk to a teammate if he feels that player needs to be lifted up or needs to be pushed a little more.

“When Ben Boulware says lets lock in, they lock in because he knows,” Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said.

And it’s not just guys like Watson and Boulware that do the leading. Others that have played a big role in the Tigers’ rise to elite level status have been leader as well … guys like safety Jadar Johnson, cornerback Cordrea Tankersley, center Jay Guillermo, running back Wayne Gallman and defensive tackle Carlos Watkins.

Though Clemson was considered the most inexperienced team in the ACC with so many freshmen and sophomores playing this season, the Tigers still managed to win a second straight conference title and advanced to the College Football Playoff for a second straight year.

“To me, the best leadership is within, player led,” Swinney said. “These guys have been to the Orange Bowl, the Russell Athletic Bowl, the Fiesta Bowl … the Orange Bowl, what twice? Is that right? These guys, they get it.

“When you have a group of guys like that, and it is not just me trying to lead everything, they’re in alignment.”

That has not always been the case at Clemson. It was just six years ago when Swinney and the Tigers were coming off a 6-7 campaign, which included a loss to South Florida in the Meineke Car Care Bowl. Fans were calling for Swinney’s head, but the Tigers’ head coach did not panic. He stuck to his plan. Six years, three ACC Championships and 68 wins later, no one is questioning him now.

“Years ago we were trying to get to this point and you just have to go through a process, and when you don’t have that establish kind of culture, then you have to build it. You have to create it and then you have to maintain it,” he said. “The players are the best sources of helping to do that. But now we have a group that can draw on the experience that can teach the other guys.

“The more opportunities you get to be a part of games like this, it helps create the mindset that you want in your program.”

Of course that opportunity this time is the Fiesta Bowl against No. 3 Ohio State as part of the College Football Playoff. Win and the second-ranked Tigers are playing for a national championship for a second straight year.

It’s in moments like these, where big-game experience has come in handy for Clemson.

“We still have young guys. We start over every year with some of these guys,” Swinney said. “We have to re-instill some things every single day, but we are very fortunate to have a very experienced group of leaders that totally understand.

“That’s why we have been successful.”