Tajh Boyd flying under the radar in award talk despite huge numbers

Boyd is second in the nation in passing efficiency

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Tue Nov 13 09:39:05 GMT-04:00 2012

CLEMSON – Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd Tajh Boyd
RS Jr. Quarterback
#10 6-1, 225
Hampton, VA
View Full Profile is putting up stellar numbers this season, but good luck finding Boyd’s name in almost anyone’s top five list of Heisman candidates.

Perhaps Boyd’s name could be found if he played for one of ESPN’s SEC schools, or if he was the height of Virginia Tech’s Logan Thomas, or if he was allowed to play longer into games than the third quarter.

Boyd is second in the country in passing efficiency with a rating of 171.99, just behind Oregon's Marcus Mariota and his rating of 176.96. Joe Hamilton of Georgia Tech set the ACC record in 1999 at 175.00, but Boyd’s rating would be second if he kept up the pace.

Boyd's 28 touchdown passes are tied for fourth nationally and trail the school record 33 he set last season with two regular season games remaining, and he is chasing N.C. State's Philip Rivers' ACC record of 34, which was set in 2003.

He currently stands 12th in the nation with 2,941 passing yards, an astounding number considering he ranks 49th in passing attempts, yet viewers watching the highlights on ESPN’s college football wrapup shows didn’t see much of Boyd, something that head coach Dabo SwinneyDabo Swinney
Head Coach
View Full Profile doesn’t understand.

“I don’t see anyone in the country better than Tajh Boyd,” Swinney said. “You can print that in big, bold letters. The guy is a great football player and doing things that are off the charts. He’s an unselfish guy who goes about his business in a humble way, and doesn’t expect more from anyone than he’s willing to give. I don’t think there’s any question he’s playing as good as anyone out there. There are other great players, but I don’t think anyone is playing better than Tajh Boyd.”

Offensive coordinator Chad MorrisChad Morris
Offensive Coordinator / QBs
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“Yeah, I really am. When you start looking at his passing efficiency and, obviously, the yards he’s thrown for, the touchdowns he’s thrown for, yes, it’s kind of surprised me,” Morris said. “He’ll get mentioned and then it’s kind of like it almost goes away. But all that comes with it. It comes with the territory. We expect Tajh’s performance each week to be at the top of his game. Hey, that’s all that we can control. We’re extremely proud of the way that he’s playing. Obviously, we wouldn’t be in a situation we’re in right now - the success that we’ve had - without his play. It’s much better than it was a year ago.”

Boyd said he doesn’t pay attention to the hype or award talk.

“Right now, it is all about winning games for me,” he said. “I don’t really look at any of that stuff. It would be great to get that kind of attention, but as long as the team is winning then the individual stuff will take care of itself. I just try and control what I can control.”

Morris was asked Monday if he thinks the fact that Boyd’s recognition might not be as high because he hasn’t played much in the second half of games in the last month, and he said yes.

“I really do. Over the last what, three weeks? He’s essentially played a half, just a little bit over a half, not quite three quarters,” Morris said. “I do. Maybe that’s hurting him a little bit. He isn’t getting some of the exposure and recognition. We can’t control that. All we can do is control how we play and how we approach each day. All of that other stuff will take care of itself, in due time.”

Boyd said he knows he won’t grow anymore and reach the height of a Logan Thomas, but he also understands he doesn’t have to be the kind of quarterback that goes out and wins games by himself, not with playmakers like Andre EllingtonAndre Ellington
RS Sr. Running Back
#23 5-10, 195
Moncks Corner, SC
View Full Profile , Brandon FordBrandon Ford
Gr. Tight End
#80 6-4, 240
Wando, SC
View Full Profile , Nuk Hopkins and Sammy WatkinsSammy Watkins
So. Wide Receiver
#2 6-1, 205
Fort Myers, FL
View Full Profile on the field with him.

“My job is just to encourage and help everybody else on this team,” he said. “When you come in here, you don’t expect to break all of those records, you just want to win games. We want this to go on as long as we can. What we have done so far is unbelievable. I like to think of myself as someone like [NBA point guard] Steve Nash – I am just dishing the ball and making sure all the guys get their touches. We have so many guys making plays, and that is what I like about playing quarterback in this system. There are so many guys that can make plays, I just need to get them the ball.”