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Clemson Football: Kelly Bryant named starter, what about Hunter Johnson?

By Terrance Singleton

TAMPA, FL - JANUARY 09: Head coach Dabo Swinney of the Clemson Tigers looks on before taking on the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship Game at Raymond James Stadium on January 9, 2017 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL - JANUARY 09: Head coach Dabo Swinney of the Clemson Tigers looks on before taking on the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship Game at Raymond James Stadium on January 9, 2017 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /
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After spending the last two seasons behind Deshaun Watson, Kelly Bryant will now get his shot to lead Clemson football in 2017.

Junior quarterback Kelly Bryant is the new starting quarterback for your Clemson Tigers. Throughout, spring ball and fall camp he had to fight battle it out with two top recruits in Zerrick Cooper and Hunter Johnson.

The last few week, it came out that head coach Dabo Swinney was “likely” going to start Kelly Bryant for the Week 1 game, which made sense. Bryant was the only player out of the three to have college football experience. And now late last night Tiger fans got the news. Not only will Bryant be the starter, but that Zerrick will be his backup. To many that was a shock since Hunter Johnson was a five-star recruit and will now be a third string quarterback.

Many fans in Clemson thought it was a two horse race between Bryant and Johnson and totally forgot about Cooper. And this decision to have Cooper as the backup makes total sense. If Bryant were to have a bad performance or suffer injury the offense will not need to change at all. But if Johnson were the quarterback, the designed runs would not be used as much.

Since the years of Tajh Boyd, the Clemson offense used the quarterback run a lot. Watson fell into that system and so does Bryant and Cooper. Johnson does not fall into that system as well as the others.

The situation that was happening at Clemson this year, has similarities to the Sean White-Auburn situation. Auburn’s offense is very close to Clemson’s and it has not looked the same the last two years with Sean White as the starter. White just wasn’t the guy for the job in Auburn. He didn’t bring a big enough run threat. The same can be said about Johnson here at Clemson.

Next: College Fotball: Top 50 breakout candidates for 2017

The future of the QB position

We know what happens in the present for this season, but what about the future? Next year, five-star quarterback Trevor Lawrence will join the fold in Death Valley. Many see him as the heir to the Clemson throne. So when you add him, what happens to Hunter? Do not be shocked if Johnson transfers in the anytime before next season.

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