Clemson Tigers freshman quarterback Deshaun Watson, who has been competing this spring for the starting job, suffered a slight crack in his collarbone during the Tigers' scrimmage on Monday afternoon and will be out for three weeks, according to the school's scrimmage report.
Watson will miss Clemson's spring game on Saturday. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said Watson played the entire scrimmage, and he wasn't sure when the injury occurred.
"This is a shame because he was having an outstanding spring," Swinney said, according to the team's report. "Fortunately this is not a serious injury. I hate that he will miss the spring game. I know a lot of people were anxious to see him make his debut in Death Valley. But he will be fine by the time summer workouts start again in May. He does not require surgery."
Watson, who enrolled in January, was competing with Cole Stoudt and Chad Kelly this spring to replace record-setting quarterback Tajh Boyd. Watson was the high-ranked Clemson signee for 2014 and ranked the No. 1 dual-threat quarterback and No. 16 overall player in his recruiting class by ESPN.com.
Stoudt has been the frontrunner this spring for the starting job, followed by Kelly, but it's been a very close race, and one that likely won't end until this summer. Watson has made enough plays to impress the coaching staff and keep things interesting.
"We'd love to redshirt him, but if he's given the opportunity to play, he's a guy that if the door opens for him, he may never look back," offensive coordinator Chad Morris told ESPN.com's David Hale earlier this month. "He's got that type of ability."
