Clemson looking for depth at quarterback in spring practice

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Clemson coach Dabo Swinney is looking for a few good backups.

Deshaun Watson will be starter after becoming the face of the program despite being sidelined with injuries in his freshman debut season. Behind him, though, Clemson has a little-used backup Nick Schuessler and two freshmen — Kelly Bryant and Tucker Israel, who enrolled early.

It’s a situation Swinney’s not used to, but the coach is using spring practice to rectify. He says the redshirt junior Schuessler has the early lead to be Clemson’s No. 2 quarterback. The newcomers, though, are improving with each practice.

Watson can’t practice while he recovers from surgery on a torn ACL suffered last November.