Clemson Does Not Need to Rush Deshaun Watson in to the Line-up

Clemson head coach Dabo Swiney could not have been looking forward to replacing Taj Boyd this season, but it looks like that is not going to be an issue. Senior Cole Stoudt has looked capable (with the exception of the second half of the Georgia game) and the future starter of the Tigers--Deshaun Watson--has looked pretty good too.

As a result Swiney has another issue on his hands--who plays?

Stoudt won the starting job in the preseason, and in spite of the poor second half in the season opener remains committed to him even though Watson has really shined when he has been on the field. In limited action he is 10-13 for 213 yards and four touchdowns.

Most of it came last week against South Carolina State when he went 8-9 for 154 yards and three touchdowns effectively making him the definition of a 'hot hand.'

With stats like that you have to wonder why he isn't playing more?



Because he's the 'hot hand.'

The hot hand has to be one of the hardest things for coaches to deal with. By nature the hot hand can't do wrong. If a player can't do wrong that means good things for the team. On the other hand, every hot hand eventually cools and comes back down to whatever his status quo is.

In the case of Watson they don't yet know what the status quo is going to be.

To find it you have to play him, but the team could also do what it is doing and set him up better for success in the future. As long as Stoudt plays well enough to win the team does not need to play Watson more than he is.

Instead his playing time can be controlled and used as a learning tool that will help him develop further. So when the team is his next year he will be much better suited to take on the role than he is now.

Now if they start to lose or Stoudt becomes inefffective that can all change, but until that happens there is no need to rush Watson in to the game.

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