Why Dabo Swinney Needs To Shut Up About Deshaun Watson

Dabo Swinney has been gushing the past three seasons about his junior quarterback, Deshaun Watson, who has now become probably the most successful quarterback in Clemson history. While he is a phenomenal player, a top NFL prospect and a Heisman contender, Swinney lobbying for his quarterback is probably not the smartest thing he could be doing right now.

The Heisman trophy will be presented next weekend, and the finalists have all played their regular season games. Watson, Louisville's Quarterback Lamar Jackson, Alabama's Quarterback Jalen Hurts, Texas' Running Back D'Onta Foreman, Oklahoma's Quarterback Baker Mayfield, Washington's Quarterback Jake Browning and Michigan's All-Purpose-Athlete Jabrill Peppers are all running in a race as hotly contested and close as the 2016 Presidential Race. Every player has a great argument and case that has been made.

Swinney, after his Clemson Tigers jumped from #3 to #2 in the College Football Playoff Rankings, talked to ESPN on the Playoff Show about his team, and took it as an opportunity to present a case for Deshaun Watson's Heisman candidacy. "I don't have a vote, but if I had one, it'd be the easiest vote ever," he said. "He represents everything you could possibly want in a Heisman. He's made college football better in his three years... Deshaun Watson is the best player. He might not have been the best player in September, but he's been the best player in October, and November and December, and the stats will bear that out."

While it's great to have your coach gushing over your skill-set and accomplishments on national TV, it's really not going to help Watson. Swinney may actually mean every word he says about his veteran quarterback, and in his mind he's telling the truth. However, combined with a few stats, and taking into light a few things the coach just said, it can easily be found that there are a few holes in Swinney's logic.

First off, a stat a lot of people want to forget is Watson has thrown 15 interceptions this season. That's tied for 3rd most in the country, behind Purdue's David Blough (21) and Indiana's Richard Laglow (16). His Passer Efficiency Rating (154.3) is ranked 15th in the nation, behind other Heisman candidates, Baker Mayfield (197.8) and Jake Browning (176.5). He's even behind Mayfield by 4% in completion percentage. So sorry, Dabo. The stats really don't bear that out.

Secondly, when you hear Watson talk in an interview, you don't get the vibe that Watson is a humble and grateful football player. I don't know him personally, but it seems to me that he's very cocky, full of himself and against everything you are looking for in a Heisman contender. Remember how people hated Johnny Manziel winning the Heisman because he was so full of himself, even when he accepted the prestigious award? It's because the Heisman is the greatest trophy that can be presented to an individual player in really any college sport. John Heisman was a very humble guy, and people expect the winner to be grateful to even have the award. While Watson may not be as dramatic as Johnny Football, he's not exactly who people, other then Clemson fans, are routing to win a Heisman. So sorry, Dabo. The personality we see in Watson isn't Heisman-like.

Thirdly, this really isn't an easy vote (unless you are a Clemson fan). Jalen Hurts led a team like a veteran quarterback as a true freshman, and runs the ball like last year's Heisman winner, Derrick Henry. Baker Mayfield has put up the most impressive numbers we have ever seen from a quarterback in College Football, and led Oklahoma to a perfect 9-0 record inside of their conference. Lamar Jackson was the most explosive player we have seen in recent years, and just 3 weeks ago, Jackson was the clear cut, very easy pick. And that's just the quarterback's resume's that Watson is up against. So sorry, Dabo. It's a terribly difficult vote this year.

Deshaun is cocky. He talks about himself as if he is the best ever. That's great. But I don't think the best ever throws 3 picks to a struggling secondary like Pittsburgh, and looses the game. I don't think the best ever struggles against North Carolina State, and squeaks by 24-17. I don't think the best ever throws 3 picks to Troy. I don't think the best ever throws multiple INT's in 4 games. The best ever doesn't take his talent for granted and works his butt off to be the best consistently. The stats show that Watson this season has not been the best consistently, yet you get the feeling that he still thinks he is the best ever.

My message to Dabo. Since when does B.S.ing about your star Quarterback, uninformed about what you are talking about, help his career, or even his Heisman chances? Or even your career for that matter? Can you think of a Heisman candidate who won the trophy because their coach went on TV and talked about how great their player was? The way a logical person perceives the entire Clemson program right now is a group of guys who are cocky, living in an imaginative world, believing that they are entitled to greatness and lazy in their game prep. It's nice when a person thinks that they are the best ever, but when there are stats and game film to prove that you have work to do, it really comes across the wrong way.

If Clemson goes out December 31st and beats Ohio State soundly, then I will agree with Dabo, Watson deserves that trophy. He can get on my blog and leave a comment about how I need to shut up sometimes and keep my opinions to myself. He can laugh at me on national TV if he would like. But if they struggle again, all game long, loose... Trust me. I will be laughing at Dabo, and Deshaun, and the entire Clemson squad. So show me, Deshaun. Show me and the world that you have what it takes to be great.