Clemson football lost their Heisman finalist Deshaun Watson quarterback to the NFL. Who will be the next man up to guide the team through the 2017 season?
The Clemson Tigers have yet to name a starting quarterback as Week One of the college football season approaches. The Tigers have to replace Deshaun Watson, running back Wayne Gallman and wide receiver Mike Williams to reload the offensive cupboard. The way the Tigers have recruited in the past, they shouldn’t have much to worry about.
On paper, it looks like Watson didn’t play a huge role in the Tigers offense. However, the Clemson offense averaged 333.9 passing yards per game in 2016, seventh in the FBS. The offense averaged 503.7 total yards per game, 12th in the FBS, last season as well. That won’t be an easy feat to repeat.
The quarterback battle for the Clemson Tigers entering the fall has three competitors: Kelly Bryant, Hunter Johnson and Zerrick Cooper. The good news for them is there’s enough left from the 2016 offense that the transition should be smooth.
Wide receivers Hunter Renfrow and Deon Cain are solid receiving options in the passing game. Renfrow caught 44 receptions for 495 receiving yards and six touchdowns in 2016. Cain had 38 catches for 724 receiving yards and nine touchdowns last season. He led the team with 19.1 yards per reception.
Dabo Swinney has been hesitant to name a starter and with good reason. Clemson lacks true experience at quarterback. Watson had eight games of experience, 1,466 passing yards, 14 touchdowns and two interceptions under his belt before he became starter in 2015.
Kelly Bryant, the favorite
On this current roster, the only quarterback with experience is junior Kelly Bryant and even then, he’s limited. Bryant has 75 passing yards, a touchdown and an interception under his belt in 11 appearances.
He’s been used as a rusher in his role with the team up until this point. He ran for 156 rushing yards and two touchdowns as a freshman in 2015. Last year, he ran for 22 rushing yards and a touchdown. It’s not a bad thing he has more rushing yards than passing yards but so far Bryant has done enough to show he’s ready to lead.
The Clemson Tigers offense could use a dual-threat guy like Kelly Bryant. Bryant has a 6-foot-3, 215-pound frame. With his size, he’s shown that up to this point he has the durability to take some hits. However, the defense in the ACC is anything but subpar so it could be a problem if and when he can takes hits at a higher rate as starter.
He has running backs C.J. Fuller and Tavien Feaster with running experience too. Getting them in space is key to their passing game, although the team’s rushing yards were down in 2016. Clemson rushed for 222.7 rushing yards in 2015, compared to 170.3 last season. With Bryant under center, that number is certain to go up, but he’ll still throw the ball some.
Hunter Johnson, the threat
True freshman quarterback Hunter Johnson has already made waves as a member of the Clemson Tigers 2017 recruiting class. While he’s listed as a dual-threat guy, Johnson is a pro-style quarterback out of Brownsburg, Indiana with a cannon for an arm.
Johnson threw for over 6,000 passing yards and 60 touchdowns in his high career. He did rush for 528 rushing yards and three touchdowns as a senior but his biggest strength is his arm and delivery.
Hunter Johnson is a five-star quarterback who ranked 30th overall, according to 247Sports, in this past year’s recruiting class. With multiple offers and tons of predictions, Johnson picked the Clemson football program as the place to start his collegiate career.
Since enrolling this past January, he’s done nothing but impress the Tigers coaching staff. With the amount of experience Johnson has, he looks the most prepared to undertake Clemson’s traditional spread offense.
He’ll have an opportunity to prove himself early, too. Although Bryant has been named starter for Kent State on September 2, we’re likely to see Johnson play as well. Johnson will get to show his ability to throw accurate passes downfield while also showcasing his athleticism.
He may be restricted to the pocket, but he can hurt when he scrambles.
Zerrick Cooper, the longshot
Redshirt freshman quarterback Zerrick Cooper can easily be forgotte. He took a redshirt season in 2016 to get better prepared for the game and further understand the playbook.
Cooper is not an expendable guy on the roster yet, but he’s hard-pressed for playing time behind the shadows of Bryant and Johnson. He’s a 6-foot-2, 219-pound quarterback with plenty of arm strength.
He threw for 2,039 passing yards and 21 touchdowns as a high school senior while also adding 359 rushing yards. While he’s also a dual-threat guy, he prefers to throw the ball deep. Guys like Deon Cain would love a quarterback like Cooper under center.
Cain had five games last season where he had over 20 yards per reception. He only had one game with over 100 receiving yards but imagine an offense with Cooper and Cain would have a whole lot more of those.
Cooper is a four-star prospect from the Clemson Tigers 2016 recruiting class. He ranked as the 250th best player overall, according to 247Sports. If Johnson doesn’t impress coaches early and redshirts, Cooper could move up the depth chart.
Next: Projected 2017 Clemson football depth chart
Experience matters if the Tigers face an injury late in the season at quarterback. Having a guy whose been in the system for a season on the ready like Cooper helps. He should be ready when and if his time comes.