Clemson Football: Is the 2017 QB battle a 1 year lease on the job?
As the Clemson football program opens up fall camp shortly, the quest to find a starting quarterback continues. With Trevor Lawrence set to enroll in 2018, will the Tigers’ be naming a starter for this season alone, or the foreseeable future?
Quarterback competitions are the most prevalent topic throughout every offseason, regardless of the school. Add in the fact that the Clemson football program is tasked with replacing the best quarterback in program history in Deshaun Watson, and you’ve got yourself one heck of a story line.
Competing for the job this season will be junior, Kelly Bryant; redshirt freshman, Zerrick Cooper and true freshman, Hunter Johnson. All three bring something different to the table.
Bryant is clearly the most experienced of the three and he is the best athlete of the three as well. His biggest issue is accuracy. Thus far in his career, Bryant has had inconsistent fundamentals, resulting in erratic throws at times.
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Zerrick Cooper has the strongest arm on the team entering 2017. There is no denying his ability to push the ball down the field, however, he has a tendency to force unadvised throws. Cooper must improve his decision making with the football.
Hunter Johnson is the most inexperienced of the three, which put him behind the eight-ball during spring camp. That being said, Johnson has the best arm talent on the team, he can drive the ball down the field, while also showing the touch needed to drop it in the bucket. Similar to Cooper, Johnson must become comfortable with the playbook.
You could make a legitimate case for each of the three to be the starter; and I believe all three will play early on in the season. While finding a starter is the most pressing issue for the 2017 season, how important is it to the future of the Clemson football program?
2018 and beyond
The real quarterback competition begins next season. The Tigers are set to bring in Trevor Lawrence, the No. 2 quarterback recruit in the country for the 2018 recruiting cycle. Lawrence has been heralded by many as one of the best quarterback prospects in the last decade.
I cannot see the coaching staff deciding to stash Lawrence on the sidelines for the next 3 to 4 years regardless of how Clemson’s starter plays in 2017. Bryant, Cooper or Johnson could have an outstanding season, yet, their lease on the starting job may last all of one year.
Next: Clemson 2017 fall camp primer
Recruiting well is a double-edged sword. Any program in the country would be thrilled to have the talent that Clemson has at quarterback, paired with a recruit like Lawrence. That being said, only one person will ultimately play, leaving the others to sit on the sidelines or transfer.