NFL DRAMAS
Simply no lack of dilemma in NFL openers.
The job belongs to either senior Cole Stoudt or freshman Deshaun
Watson. It might be Stoudt’s to lose with his three seasons as Tajh
Boyd’s backup and Watson’s lack of college experience.
After 15
spring practices, Swinney said the quarterback derby was too close to
call in April and suggested it could continue through August and into
the season.
Clemson quarterback Chad Kelly winces in pain as trainer Danny Poole,
right, checks his right knee while Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney,
left, and quarterback Tajh Boyd look on during the Orange-White Spring
Football Game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday.
Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/2014/04/14/3387999/qb-chad-kelly-dismissed-from-tiger.html#storylink=cpy
Even after Kelly’s meltdown Saturday during the spring
game, he remained part of the competition, though, as Swinney said, “he
didn’t help himself.”
Kelly threw a pair of interceptions, but
that wasn’t going to tip the decision. The criteria included other
aspects of their lives as citizens, students, players and teammates.
During
the spring game, Kelly became animated with offensive coordinator Chad
Morris and wide receivers coach Jeff Scott. That left Kelly not
permitted to play in the second half. Swinney called it a “coaches’
decision.”
Apparently, Kelly allowed the matter to fester through
the weekend. At a meeting Monday with Swinney, Kelly was dismissed him
from the football team “for conduct detrimental to our program.
“He
has had a pattern of behavior that is not consistent with the values of
our program,” Swinney said in a release distributed after 5 p.m.
There were rumors of a parking lot incident after the game, but police said they had nothing to report.
“I
hope he will mature and grow from this and become the man and player I
know he can be,” Swinney’s release said. “I wish him nothing but the
best in the future academically and athletically."
Kelly
redshirted the 2012 season then sustained a torn knee ligament in the
2013 spring game that required surgery in May. He came back to play
Sept. 7 against S.C. State and appeared in five games overall. Kelly
completed 10 of 17 passes for 58 yards and rushed 16 times for 117 yards
and a touchdown.
“Chad Kelly is an awful talented young man. (He)
made a couple of impulse decisions today that were really out of
character for him,” Swinney said Saturday. “He got frustrated today and
reacted the way your leader can’t react. It’s that simple.
“He’s
still a young player. A big part of this position is maturity and
leadership and those are two things we’ve got to count on,” Swinney
said. “Just didn’t like how he responded to Coach Morris and Coach
Scott.”
Stoudt, the son of a former NFL quarterback, might have
been the choice all along to start Clemson’s opening game at Georgia.
Cool and steady, he seemed to be the leader that offensive coordinator
Morris was describing when said he wanted a quarterback with an even
disposition.
In limited duty he has been effective, completing 86
of 119 passes for 742 yards and eight touchdowns in 287 snaps over 22
games. He has thrown one interception and has a 145.1 efficiency rating.
The
most prolific offensive player in Georgia high school history, Watson
did not play Saturday after sustaining a cracked collarbone in practice
early last week, but coaches and teammates said he was impressive and
confident over the final two weeks of practice
Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/2014/04/14/3387999/qb-chad-kelly-dismissed-from-tiger.html#storylink=cpy
