SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. _ Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson had a plan all along.
When he and receiver Artavis Scott arrived at the South Carolina school, they decided they were going to graduate in three years. The lure of the NFL was strong, the possibility of leaving early tempting, yet they were still willing to put in the work to fast-track their education.
It was the reason Watson carried a 19-hour class load in the fall of 2015 while leading the Tigers to the national championship game before losing to Alabama. It was why he took 18 hours the previous spring and split 20 hours over two summer sessions, why he survived on naps to compensate for early mornings and late nights.
He and Scott were awarded communications degrees this month.
Now on Saturday against Ohio State in a College Football Playoff semifinal in the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl, Watson will take the field at the University of Phoenix Stadium with millions at stake. Criticized for his shaky accuracy, his slight 6-foot-3, 215-pound frame and uneven performance this season, the 21-year-old has much to prove to league executives and scouts.
Largely because of his 15 interceptions in 2016 and 28 over two years, some draft analysts regard him No. 3 among quarterback prospects behind Notre Dame's DeShone Kizer and North Carolina's Mitch Trubisky.
Tony Elliott, Clemson's co-offensive coordinator, said Wednesday that Watson is not focused on the future, that he's the "ultimate team guy." But there is pressure, there is motivation, even if it's in the back of Watson's mind.
"He understands that he's got some added motivation after what happened the last two years. He feels like he should have won a certain award," Elliott said, referring to the Heisman. "He's going to prove it to everybody. He said it best, he wants the trophy that nobody votes on that you've got to go earn on the field."
Even if he doesn't win the national title, Watson believes he deserves to be the No. 1 pick, saying he thinks every player should have the "mindset and confidence" to think they're the best at their position. He said he can handle being the face of a franchise.
Going into the final week of the NFL season, the top spot belongs to the Browns.
Asked what he has to offer at the next level, Watson said, "A player that has heart for the game, that loves the game, loves to compete, loves the challenges of the position. Carries himself well as a professional. Uses his platform in a great way and understands that this game is bigger than me. Has respect for everyone that's a part of the game and that's come before me."
"When it comes down to it, they'll understand who's a football player and who is not about their business and not for show and anything like that. Like coach (Dabo) Swinney said before, 'The cream rises to the top.' That's for them to see sooner or later."
Elliott offered perspective on Watson's 2016 interceptions, three coming against Louisville and three in Clemson's lone loss, 43-42 to Pittsburgh.
"Deshaun has that 'it' factor and that's what makes him special," Elliott said at the J.W. Marriott Camelback Inn. "He's confident in his ability. He has confidence making every throw and we challenge our guys to make the competitive plays. He probably wants a couple of those balls back."
"Everybody's focusing on the number. If you break it down, there's probably three to four that were tipped by receivers that were right in the hands. He did force a couple into tight windows. I can think of one against Louisville, he hit it on the back shoulder. He usually gets that on the front shoulder and it's a touchdown."
"You don't want to scale him back at all because that's what makes him special."
Ohio State defensive coordinator Greg Schiano looks at Watson's 9,484 career passing yards and 86 touchdowns (against 30 interceptions), along with 1,831 rushing yards and 23 scores and calls Watson "one of the elite ones I've faced."
"He makes you play 11-on-11 football. He can run the football," Schiano said. "He's got tremendous arm strength. Whether he's in the pocket or he's moving, he can throw the ball 50, 60 yards down the field.
"If for one minute you stop doing what you're supposed to do, he's going to find that. He understands not only the plays they run, but understands the game. You can see that he's a mature quarterback as well as being one of the more gifted ones I've seen."
Elliott said Watson already "prepares like a pro, prepares like a coach" and is always carrying his playbook.
"He takes meticulous notes. He rewrites his notes. Because of his confidence and his preparation, he can go out and play free," Elliott said. "I've got to thank him because he's made me a better person. It challenges me every day to make sure that I'm on my P's and Q's. I know if I come into that Monday meeting and I haven't studied the alignment of the feet of the safeties to know which way they're dropping in coverage, Deshaun's going to point it out."
That's not all there is to Watson, Elliott said.
"He's got a story with his past, his upbringing, a little bit of hardship that's given him that edge and also kept him humble," Elliott said of Watson, from Gainesville, Ga. "And then to graduate in three years on top of that and all the pressure, he's just an unbelievable young man."
Watson feels the pressure, but tries to embrace it.
"I like the feeling, I like the intensity, I like the buildup for the game," he said. "These are the games you dream about as a little kid. This is something you worked your whole life to get to. The magnitude of the game and what's at stake is very huge."
