Deshaun Watson ready for Football Season
Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson participated in practice fully for the first time since November of 2014. Check out what he had to say about the upcoming season.
Deshaun Watson tore his ACL back in late-November and decided to play on it against in-state rival South Carolina. He led the Tigers to their first victory over the Gamecocks in five years and put an end to what seemed to be an endless amount of embarrassment that came with five straight losses. Bigger than the rivalry game, however, is what he did during the 2014 season, coming into the year as a true-freshman and picking defenses apart. He was so good, by the way, that he is on many Heisman Watch Lists and is one of the biggest reasons Clemson fans consider themselves in the mix for the College Football Playoffs.
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Yesterday, Watson returned to the football field and by all accounts, looked just as good, if not better than he did from the last time we’ve seen him. He was said to look confident, poised, and was moving smoothly through drills. Here is what Watson had to say about this season and what his thoughts were on several topics. He began his interview, however, answering questions about his knee.
"“The knee feels fine. Today was a great day, and I was just happy to be back out there with my teammates and get things going,” Watson said after practice, said Watson. “Whenever I am practicing or playing I don’t really even worry about the brace. It’s just there for protection. It’s working so far.”"
He also said he will not change what he was doing to help protect himself, but instead will do what he needs to do to win.
"“I will approach the game like I did last year before I was injured. I will do what I have to do. I can’t go out there and worry about taking hits. That is part of the game, and I am not going to shy away from that. I am just going to go out there and do my job. They will probably say “stay down” but if the opportunity is there, I am going to jump first. I am out there doing what I love, and I am just going to do what I have to do. I am just back in the saddle. I don’t have to think about it.”"
Watson said the main thing he worked on this offseason was leadership. He wanted to make sure that he doesn’t take anything for granted and is able to be a leader by action, but also speak up vocally to show guys what they can do better to make the team better overall.
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"“I just really worked on leadership – building the trust with my teammates and making sure I’m around those guys all of the time. I was just trying to be up there and make sure everyone heard my voice when they were training and working hard.”"
If you watched the interview, the main thing that stuck out to me was the way he handled himself. It is clear to see that Deshaun Watson is very confident about this upcoming season and you can just see how he is ready to get started. He has that charisma and personality that everyone just flocks to and it makes for a great leader and great football player. There is no question when watching him participate in drills or seeing him take an interview that Deshaun Watson is ready for football season. He is wanting to prove he can stay healthy and show the world just how good he can be, as well as just how good this team can be.
"“I embrace everything that comes with this game and the position that I’m in. Being the Clemson quarterback is a big deal, and I enjoy every moment of it. I know we have a special team but now we just have to go out there and perform and prove it.”"