Sorry, Deshaun: Kelly Bryant is a better running quarterback

Clemson has had its share of impressive dual-threat quarterbacks in recent years, most notably Deshaun Watson and Tajh Boyd.

But first-year starter Kelly Bryant brings a dimension to the Tigers’ running game that those two stars did not.

Through five games, Bryant is Clemson’s leading rusher with 362 yards and seven touchdowns. The junior uses a combination of speed, shiftiness and power to knife through opposing defenses.

“I think he’s bigger, he’s faster, more elusive than those guys. Tajh was a great runner in his own right, especially short yardage, between the tackles. Deshaun was a guy that you had to get in space, and I think he had deceptive speed. Kelly is just a natural runner,” co-offensive coordinator Tony Elliott said. “He can run inside. He can run outside. And he’s hard to tackle. That’s the biggest thing. He can drop the shoulders when he needs to, but more importantly, when you get up on him, he can make you miss.”

The natural running ability Bryant possesses was mastered at a young age.

He grew up playing in a wing-t offense before transitioning to the spread during his high school career at Wren.

“It was just so natural to me using my legs and having to make plays with my legs,” Bryant said. “Now I had moved into Wren where, ‘OK, now it’s time for me, if I want to be a quarterback and be a complete quarterback, I have to make plays with my arm as well.’ It was just a transition for me going from not throwing the ball at all to now where I’m throwing it the majority of the game and then also having to make plays with my legs as well.”

Bryant models his quarterback play after former Texas All-American Vince Young.

Young led the Longhorns to a national title his junior season, passing for 3,036 yards and 26 touchdowns and rushing for 1,050 yards and 12 scores.

“I always loved how he played. He ran the ball with such precision, how he made cuts in and out the pocket, and also down field how he was an allusive runner,” Bryant said.

Even with his allusiveness, Bryant has taken some tough hits, and the coaching staff does not want to overwork him.

“As a coordinator, Jeff (Scott) and I have to figure out when is the proper time to say, ‘OK, no more designed runs,’ to make sure that we protect him,” Elliott said. “It’s a balancing act.”

When Clemson is in need of a big play in the running game, don’t be surprised if Bryant gets the call.

“You can’t take away what makes him special,” Elliott said. “His legs give us an element that we haven’t had in the past, even with Deshaun.”

This story was originally published October 2, 2017 at 8:41 PM with the headline "Sorry, Deshaun: Kelly Bryant is a better running quarterback."