Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney finally admitted Sunday what the rest of us have known for the past four weeks: the Tigers are a better team when Deshaun Watson plays at quarterback over Cole Stoudt. Swinney announced Sunday that Watson would garner his first career start Saturday versus North Carolina.
Stoudt started the game and produced 64 combined run/pass yards on nine attempts, but did not produce points on any of his first drives and, thus, did not see the field again. Watson played the remainder of Clemson’s 23-17 overtime loss to No. 1 Florida State, completing 19-of-28 passes for 266 yards and rushing 12 times for 30 yards and a touchdown.For the year, Watson notched a 201.1 passer rating with 29 completions in 41 attempts for 479 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions while adding 47 rushing yards and the aforementioned touchdown. For his part, Stoudt has not been bad, throwing for 486 yards with a touchdown and an interception and rushing for 20 more yards, but the offense just clicks better with Watson standing in the shotgun.
Just got off the call with Dabo Swinney, and he has made the call: Deshaun Watson will make his first career start against North Carolina.
— Aaron Brenner (@Aaron_Brenner) September 21, 2014
Stoudt started the game and produced 64 combined run/pass yards on nine attempts, but did not produce points on any of his first drives and, thus, did not see the field again. Watson played the remainder of Clemson’s 23-17 overtime loss to No. 1 Florida State, completing 19-of-28 passes for 266 yards and rushing 12 times for 30 yards and a touchdown.For the year, Watson notched a 201.1 passer rating with 29 completions in 41 attempts for 479 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions while adding 47 rushing yards and the aforementioned touchdown. For his part, Stoudt has not been bad, throwing for 486 yards with a touchdown and an interception and rushing for 20 more yards, but the offense just clicks better with Watson standing in the shotgun.
Clemson’s Dabo Swinney: “You’ll probably see Cole back at some point.” I’d suggest graduation day.
— Eric Crawford (@ericcrawford) September 21, 2014
Watson was clearly the future of Clemson’s offense and, with the Tigers at 1-2 and all but eliminated from the ACC championship race, Swinney felt now was the time for the future to melt with the present.