Daniel's Watson Young didn't expect the chance to follow his family's Clemson football tradition
Daniel offensive lineman Watson Young, a finalist for the Mr. Football award given to the state’s best high school football player, seemed destined to play at Clemson.
He has Tiger blood.
Kyle Young, Watson’s father, is a Clemson Hall of Famer and one of the top few offensive linemen in program history. He is a senior associate athletic director at Clemson. Will Young, Kyle’s brother and head coach at Greer, was All-ACC for the Tigers. Their grandfather, Ed McLendon, played for Clemson in the 1939 Cotton Bowl. Kyle’s father-in-law, Ben Watson, hence the namesake, also played at Clemson.
Daniel is the local school, too, less than four miles from Memorial Stadium. The coaches’ sons play there. Clemson has 14 former Daniel players on the roster.
So, it was inevitable, right?
“Not really,” Young said. “I never felt that way.”
Young committed before this season to Appalachian State. Even as Daniel marched through the Class AAA playoffs toward what would be a third state championship in four years (51-1 record), Young still never expected a scholarship offer from Clemson.
To that point, Tigers coach Dabo Swinney came across Young’s phone in late November as an unidentified caller.
“I was just sitting on the couch and it was really random,” Young said. “I got a call from a number I didn’t have saved.
“He said, ‘Hey, Watson, how are you doing? I have two questions for you. Has it ever been your dream to play at Clemson? And if you had an opportunity to play, would you take it?’
“I said it has been my dream. But I had been locked in with Appalachian State for so long. I had to think about it and how that conversation would go with them. … It’s like breaking up with your girlfriend. It’s not easy. But if you have to do something else, then that’s what you’ve got to do.”
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On Dec. 3, Young made the breakup with App State official and committed to become the fifth member of the family to play for the Tigers.
Young (6-foot-3, 280 pounds) was the left tackle at Daniel but is expected to fit in the middle of Clemson’s line, likely at center with the ability to move to guard.
He started at left guard in the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas, an all-star game that featured the best players in South Carolina against the best players in North Carolina. The tackles were both South Carolina commits in Greenville’s Blake Franks and Dillon’s Josiah Thompson, Mr. Football.
“Watson is a great offensive lineman, and he’ll be really strong in the interior,” Franks said. “To me, he is a very traditional football player.”
One who is carrying on a tradition.
“There is really no place like it for me,” Young said. “I didn’t feel that way all along, but I definitely feel that way now. My whole family is so happy.”
This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: SC high school football: Daniel OL follows family tradition at Clemson
