Clemson’s quarterback competition will pick back up in a few short weeks from now with the beginning of fall camp. While Kelly Bryant may have work to do as a passer, he may be the most mobile quarterback Clemson has had under Dabo Swinney.
Coming out of in-state Wren High School, Bryant rushed for over 1,920 yards and 33 touchdowns on his career. Standing 6-foot-3, 215 pounds, with 4.5 speed, Bryant is like a freight train in the open field. While Clemson has had phenomenal athletes like Tajh Boyd and Deshaun Watson under center, neither had the sheer explosiveness that Bryant displays.
During Clemson’s contest with Miami during the 2015 regular season, Kelly, then a freshman, burst into the Hurricanes secondary for a long 52-yd touchdown. A touchdown of that length is impressive in it’s own right, but, when you take into consideration that Miami consistently features some of the best athletes in all of college football, it becomes apparent how dynamic Bryant is.
During Clemson’s most recent Orange and White game, Bryant was impressive on the ground. While this was a scrimmage setting, Bryant held his own against Clemson’s vaunted defense. On the day Bryant accounted for 66 yards and one touchdown. He sealed the game for the Orange squad with a nifty improvised run.
While Clemson’s quarterbacks of the past were capable of scampering for first downs here and there, they were not the running threat that is Kelly Bryant. From a build and running style standpoint, Bryant reminds me of former Auburn great, Cam Newton. Obviously Bryant is not as massive as Newton was in college, however, he posses the same physicality and explosiveness with the ball in his hands.
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Coming into the spring, Bryant’s ability to consistently throw the football was a topic of concern. While he showed improvement during the spring, he still has a ways to go before he is ready to take over for Deshaun Watson. At the very least, Kelly can provide this Tigers offense with a smash mouth rushing threat in short yardage situations and in the redzone.