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As the calendar rolls into August and the season draws closer, analysts begin their annual exercise of rankings players and teams, plus news on the recruiting front and a peak at the new football operations complex.
Team Rankings:
Expectations are high in Death Valley this season; Clemson not only enters this season the the runners-up in the national title, but the Tigers are also bringing in the number 11 recruiting class in the country, according to 247 Sports composite rankings. All these factors combined to give Clemson their highest preseason coaches poll ranking ever, number two behind Alabama.
But the coaches poll isn't the only ranking that Clemson was given this past week. The AP released their first ever list of all-time program rankings and Clemson clocked in at number 22 on the 100-program list. Ahead of the tigers were the Washington Huskies at 20 and the Arkansas Razorbacks at 21. Behind Clemson was the Pittsburgh Panthers, Wisconsin Badgers and Iowa Hawkeyes, respectively. The full list is here.
Clemson did rise a little bit, up to number 21 all time, when a different metric was used. SB Nation's Jason Kirk wrote about another version of the rankings here.
Deshaun Watson:
Big week for Deshaun. It was recently announced he will be on the cover of Sports Illustrated's college football preview.
Today's SI college football preview cover reveals: Josh Rosen and Deshaun Watson.
— Brian Hamilton (@BrianHamiltonSI) August 8, 2016
Two more Tuesday. pic.twitter.com/w7MymC7HvS
He will also be on the cover of ESPN's season preview magazine (see here) and was named the number one player in college football by ESPN.
"Here's the list of quarterbacks in college football history with 4,000 yards passing and 1,000 yards rushing in the same season: Watson. That's it. The Clemson QB confounded defenses all season in 2015, accounting for 47 touchdowns en route to an ACC title and a trip to the national championship game. Watson enters 2016 as one of the favorites to win the Heisman Trophy."
Watson also is the betting favorite to win the Heisman and was featured in this Bleacher Report video about the upcoming Heisman race. He also showed off some pretty good hands.
QB1. #Clemson pic.twitter.com/D95pWdpOdz
— Clemson Football (@ClemsonFB) August 7, 2016
Recruiting
Jordan Williams, a four-star DE, recently committed. More about him as a player and what he brings to the table can be read here by STS's own QuackingTiger.
Four-star forward Malik William also committed to Clemson Basketball recently.
— MALIK D. WILLIAM (@malikwilliam38) July 27, 2016
Clemson beat out Connecticut and Florida, among others, to earn William's commitment.
Football Operations Complex:
That looks like it is going to be insane. Buildings like this may seem frivolous but definitely help on the recruiting trail.