ACC's two best teams, Clemson and Florida State, allowing QBs to be hit this spring

If you're a quarterback for Clemson or Florida State, watch out

By Ben Kercheval

Apr 7, 2017 at 2:24 pm ET • 1 min read

Clemson and Florida State, two teams vying again for an ACC title -- and maybe more -- in 2017 have polar opposite quarterback situations this spring.

The defending national champions have an open competition to replace Deshaun Watson, who will go down as one of the greatest players in program history. Florida State, on the other hand, is entering its second year with Deondre Francois under center.

One thing both teams will have in common as spring drills move forward is that quarterbacks will be hit during practice. It’s not a wholly unprecedented practice, but it’s not totally common, either. After all, spring is, among other things, a time to get healthy. And quarterback health is a bullet point of the utmost priority.

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney told reporters that his quarterbacks will be tackled during the spring game on Saturday, April 8 -- the third such time this year Swinney has allowed this to happen. Current QB1 Kelly Bryant is in a fierce competition with Zerrick Cooper, Tucker Israel and freshman early enrollee Hunter Johnson for the starting job; however, Bryant has been nursing a hamstring injury.

Going live in the spring game -- which as TigerNet notes is believed to be the first time since 1992 -- is good for the quarterback competition in that it shows how each player will do in tough situations. If Bryant plays, how does he play through injury? Johnson might have all the hype, but how does he perform when he’s getting hit? That’s what coaches aim to find.

If anyone could use a break from getting clobbered, though, it’s Francois, who got obliterated through most of the 2016 season. However, putting quarterbacks in live situations is something Seminoles coach Jimbo Fisher has done before. Even Jameis Winston got knocked around in practice.

“You have to play them live. That makes him better,” Fisher told reporters, per the Orlando Sentinel.

“That’s the best way to get simulated to the game, getting the ball out on time,” Francois said. “It helps you play situations better.”

Francois might be the toughest guy on the team. He can handle the pressure. But fans should know the most-watched position at two national title contenders still get knocked around once in a while. Clemson fans will see this in person on Saturday.