Deshaun Watson Is Good Enough To Make Clemson Great

Alabama won last year's College Football Playoff, but the star of the national championship game was Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson. Watson didn't win the game's MVP award—remember, his team lost—but really, he should have. After all, he put together one of the best performances in title game history.

Just look at Watson's final numbers:

● 478 total yards of offense, a national championship record. Only 23 entire teams averaged more than that per game in 2015.

● 405 passing yards, the third-most a Nick Saban-coached Alabama team has ever allowed.

● 73 rushing yards, which lead Clemson.

The tape was just as impressive. Against a Crimson Tide defense that, when adjusted for opponent, was the best in the country against both the run and the pass—and No. 1 at stopping explosive plays and neutralizing opponent efficiency, too—Watson extended plays with his feet …

… and with his arm:

Watson is back in 2016, and he just might carry Clemson back to the College Football Playoff. Because as good as he was last season, finishing third in the voting for the Heisman Trophy, there's reason to believe he can get even better.

Watson missed five games with injury in 2014, so 2015 was his first full season with the Tigers. Naturally, there was a learning curve, and even though he was great from the start of the season, Watson improved against every ranked opponent Clemson faced.

Clemson needs Watson at his best. As a team, the Tigers might not be as good as last year. And they face a difficult path to a repeat of their undefeated run to the title game.

Most of Clemson's offense is returning with Watson. The Tigers should have one of the most explosive attacks in college football. But their defense is a question mark. In 2015, defensive end Shaq Lawson, cornerback MacKensie Alexander and safety Jayron Kearse all made various All-American teams in helping Clemson field a top 20 defense.

This season, only four defensive starters return. Lawson, Alexander and Kearse have left for the NFL. That means a good unit could suddenly become average. There's also the issue of Clemson's schedule. Overall, it isn't that daunting—but the Tigers must go to Tallahassee to face division rival Florida State, where they haven't won since 2006.

Lose to FSU, which returns arguably more overall talent, and Clemson will effectively be in a two-game hole in their own Atlantic Coast Conference division. That could scuttle the Tigers' national title hopes.

To avoid that fate, Clemson needs the Watson who dominated against Alabama to take another step forward. From what we saw against the Crimson Tide—the finesse, the speed, the passing accuracy—it's possible that can happen. Nobody cuts up Alabama like that without having tremendous talent and potential, and there's no reason to believe Watson can't set a higher bar for himself in 2016.

Watson already has been just about as good as a college quarterback can be. But if he improves, Clemson won't just be a championship contender—Watson will be in the conversation as one of the greatest college quarterbacks ever.

Want to read more stories like this from VICE Sports? Subscribe to our daily newsletter.