Clemson Football: Tigers Offense Lost Without Deshaun Watson

On the plane ride home from Boston Saturday night, no one would have blamed Dabo Swinney or Clemson’s medical staff if they pulled out their smartphones and Googled “Advanced Finger Healing Techniques.”

Following Saturday’s nail-biting, skin-of-your-teeth 17-13 win at Boston College, those associated with Clemson’s program should be looking for every avenue necessary to get star freshman quarterback Deshaun Watson safely back on the field as soon as possible.

With Watson, Chad Morris’ hurry-up, no-huddle offense kicked into hyperdrive.

Without him, Clemson’s M.O. has changed completely, going from a team capable of racing past any team on its schedule to a group that grinds out games defensively and holds on for absolute dear life.

Saturday, the Tigers outgained Boston College 398-263, with senior quarterback Cole Stoudt (who began this season as the starter and has regained the role in Watson’s absence) completing 29 of 45 passes for 285 yards.

Clemson scored two offensive touchdowns, which was two more than it scored last week against Louisville, including C.J. Davidson’s go-ahead 32-yard touchdown run with nine minutes, 35 seconds left.

But Stoudt has yet to throw a touchdown pass since returning to the starting role. He isn’t a threat to run the ball, and he isn't anywhere near the downfield passing threat that Watson is.

In seven games (including five starts), Stoudt has one touchdown against two interceptions with 985 yards passing.

In six games (including three starts, which counts his brief appearance before leaving with the finger injury against Louisville), Watson has 1,176 passing yards with 12 touchdowns against two interceptions.

He’s clearly the better passer, and Clemson’s offense has consistently looked more lively and vibrant with the freshman under center.

Sophomore wide receiver Mike Williams, the offense’s top deep threat, had 12 receptions for 277 yards and four touchdowns in Watson’s two starts.

He had eight receptions for 128 yards Saturday but has yet to reach the end zone with Stoudt as the Tigers quarterback.

RICHARD SHIRO/Associated Press

Watson’s absence has also allowed teams to focus even more on Clemson’s anemic running game, which has yet to find a lead back more than halfway through the season. Saturday, the Tigers managed just 113 yards on 36 carries, with Davidson and freshman Wayne Gallman (who scored the other touchdown) tying for the team lead with 39 yards apiece.

Clemson is expected to be without Watson for at least two more games before he targets a return for Nov. 15 against Georgia Tech. Swinney told Eric Boynton of the Spartanburg Herald-Journal that Watson's return against Tech is "a possibility." 

If there is a silver lining, it’s that both games are against weaker opponents in Syracuse and Wake Forest.

A veteran, nasty defense has been impressive, making late game-winning stops against Louisville and Boston College. Until Watson returns, it’s clear that Dabo Swinney will lean even more heavily on its talents, because he and Morris can’t expect anything substantive from their offense.