Season Forecast

*** Most indispensable player: Watson. We could try and build an argument for another player just for contrary’s sake, but whom would we be kidding? The Tigers have recruited well enough the last couple of years to be formidable without an alpha quarterback, a la Florida State last season. But national and probably even conference championship hopes ride on their Heisman Trophy finalist. Clemson averaged a whopping extra yard per play and 1.4 more yards per rush last season than the year before (when Watson missed lots of time with injury). The Tigers have some promising quarterbacks coming down the pipeline, but the drop-off between Watson and his immediate successors is steep.

*** Most overlooked player: Scott. Yes, maybe we’re stretching to call a reigning first-team All-ACC player underrated. Our bet is his stats played a huge hand in that selection. Yet as you sort through whom opponents would feel compelled to focus on and try to take away, he probably falls to at least fourth in the pecking order, if not lower. Scott also has gotten a bit lost in the preseason hype about Williams’ return and the developments of Cain and McCloud. But there are seemingly two or three times each season when Scott takes a punishing hit and keeps on chugging to the end zone. His toughness is impressive.

*** Best player on offense no one knows about: Cain. To be precise, Clemson fans surely know about him. And it’s not as if a former five-star is going to sneak up on rival coaching staffs or generate rags-to-riches stories a la Renfrow. But we’re not so sure outsiders recognize yet just how good he can be. We’re not so sure Cain doesn’t tandem with Williams to give Clemson its most potent 1-2 punch on the perimeter since Hopkins and Watkins in 2012. Cain posted 34 catches for 582 yards and five touchdowns in a mere 330 snaps last season. We bet he’ll double the snaps; you do the math on the production.

*** Additional key personnel items: It almost feels as if we need to apologize to the offensive line for being so skill player-heavy, no matter how Clemson’s cast has earned it. You’re only as strong as your weakest link, and the line no longer feels like the weak link. All five starters and reserve Maverick Morris are battle-tested; been awhile since the Tigers have been perhaps two injuries away from trouble. No one would be surprised if each of the three returning reserve running backs had their moments this season. In 42 carries last season, C.J. Fuller lost yardage just once. The opportunity is there for redshirt sophompre tight end Milan Richard to position himself as 2017’s breakout player if he delivers flashes of the pass-catching potential as Leggett’s backup.