One of Maria Herbst's favorite things about Deshaun Watson -- and to be sure, there are several -- is how the Clemson quarterback will text her after every completed task, even if it’s premature. Homework, papers, classes passed -- Herbst hears about it all from Watson in her role as Clemson’s learning specialist coordinator.
On several occasions late this summer, Watson would text Herbst that he was "down to five," a countdown of how many credits separated him from graduation. True to her roots in academia, Herbst would remind Watson that grades weren’t in yet, prompting a celebratory "Yes!