The first time Gene Chizik saw Deshaun Watson in person, he thought to himself that Clemson quarterback is a wiry guy.
It was not the best first impression for a football player to make, but the former North Carolina defensive coordinator and Auburn head coach soon understood why Watson was one of the best players in the country.
Chizik’s UNC defense, of course, faced Watson in the 2015 ACC Championship Game, a game the Tigers won 45-37 in Charlotte. Watson threw for 289 yards and three touchdowns, while running 24 more times for another 131 yards and two more touchdowns in earning offensive MVP honors.