Streeter Talks Quarterbacks and Watson

On a day that is set aside for the newcomer's to a college football program questions quickly turned for the Clemson recruiting coordinator Brandon Streeter to his position of expertise—the quarterbacks.

For Streeter, who just completed his first full season as the Tigers quarterback coach and recruiting coordinator, there is a certain level of comfort entering his second year handling the Tiger's elite signal callers that he did not have in his first year.

"Any time you go into the first year, and Deshaun (Watson) had some experience from 2014, Nick (Schuessler) had very little experience and Kelly Bryant had no experience and then you're able to cultivate those guy's over the 2015 season," Streeter said. "Kelly Bryant got some reps. Obviously, Nick Schuessler got more reps and then Deshaun grew as a quarterback.

"Now, going into this season it's so much more comforting because you have guys that have been in the system a little bit longer. They understand the offense—understand the big picture. But, more importantly understand how I coach and what my expectations are. So, I'm excited about working with each of these guys and fine tuning the little things for each of their games."

When the 2015 season had ended the true freshman quarterback Kelly Bryant had pulled into a virtual tie with incumbent, red-shirt junior, Nick Schuessler for the back-up role to Deshaun Watson.

This season as the Tigers prepare for spring spring practice, the now red-shirt senior, Nick Schuessler and sophomore Kelly Bryant will once again be listed as co-back-ups to Heisman Trophy favorite Deshaun Watson giving the Tigers a dynamic one-two punch at the back-up position.

"They both did a lot of good things throughout the fall," Streeter continued. "Each of them had their opportunity to play. Sometimes they did great in games. Sometimes they struggled a little bit. A lot of times that is what you need to happen so that you can grow from your mistakes.

"You can plug in Kelly in certain situations. You can plug in Nick in certain situations. And a lot of that is going to depend on the game flow is. But we will see how they do this spring and see how they come out of the spring but that is how we are going into the spring ball."

Even though the back-up situation may be a little bit murky there is one thing that is crystal clear for the Tiger quarterback coach and his name is Deshaun Watson.

The Tigers return, arguably, the nations top-quarterback as well as the preseason frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy.

Coming off a season that saw Watson become the first player in FBS history to throw for 4,000 yards and rush for 1,000 it is clear to Streeter that as great a year as was had by the Tigers signal caller he can still get better.

"There's a couple of things that come to mind first," Streeter said. "Number one, his leadership can always get better. And he was good now. His leadership—he's got a style that he's quiet. He's not a vocal guy as we all know, but players gravitate towards him and when he talks, when he speaks, everybody listens. So as a leader you can always grow, so I challenged him to find ways, find leadership opportunities to pull guys with you.

"In taking us where we went this year, he had to do that as well, but he has to do it a little bit different and a little bit more this coming year. He is not a sophomore anymore. He is a junior. He has to take that role of being a junior and having that other year of experience."

Along with his leadership, the second area that Watson that Streeter see's an opportunity for growth and improvement is the footwork of the Tigers quarterback. Something that if Watson can improve on could make the arm of the Watson even that much more dangerous.

"You can always improve footwork, and I definitely think he took a step forward in terms of his footwork from the 2014 season to the 2015 season," Streeter continued. "We always talk about that it starts from the ground up and for him to be more consistent with his footwork will, in turn, help him to be that much more accurate—and he was accurate. But as a quarterback you are always looking to get just a little bit better."