CLEMSON, S.C. -- Deshaun Watson looked smooth and confident as fall camp opened Tuesday as he bids to return from an ACL tear that kept him out of Clemson's bowl game last year.
Watson, the Tigers' star quarterback, was cleared to resume normal football activities last week, but he took the practice field Tuesday wearing a brace on his left knee, one he expects to wear the remainder of the season.
Beyond that, there were few signs of the knee injury, which he suffered in a Nov. 15 loss to Georgia Tech last season.
Asked if his knee felt 100 percent healthy, Watson said, "I guess so. I can't really tell if I'm 100 or not, but I feel good. They cleared me to play, so I'm just out there helping my team out."
Watson said the brace on the knee was simply a precaution and that it didn't limit his mobility.
Watson said he's been doing most normal exercises since this spring, but Tuesday's workout in shorts and 95-degree heat was his first showcase in a formal practice setting.
"I was very excited," Watson said. "When we reported yesterday, I was just happy to be out there with my teammates."
Watson burst onto the national scene a year ago, when he nearly upended defending champion Florida State in relief of Cole Stoudt, then tossed six touchdowns in his first career start a week later.
But that impressive freshman campaign was routinely hindered by injuries, including a sprained thumb and the ACL tear, both of which caused him to miss games.
For the season, Watson finished with 19 touchdowns (14 passing, five rushing) and two interceptions in parts of eight games.
The injury history is a nagging concern for a Clemson team picked to win the ACC this preseason -- including ESPN's Football Power Index -- but Watson insists he won't change his game in order to protect his body.
"My approach will be the same as last year before I was injured," he said. "I'm just going to do what I can do, not worry about taking hits. I'm not going to shy away from that. ... I'm going to try to protect myself and make sure I do my job."
Coach Dabo Swinney echoed those sentiments.
"I want him to be Deshaun Watson," Swinney said. "That's all we want for him. Nothing more, nothing less. Move the chains, put the team in the end zone. He's a smart player, and I don't think he's going to try to run over [anyone]. But if it's third-and-1, and he's got to have it, that's probably what he's going to do."
Aside from Watson's return, several other major storylines dominated Clemson's return to the practice field.
True freshman Mitch Hyatt got the bulk of the first-team reps at left tackle after presumed starter Isaiah Battle departed via the NFL supplementary draft this summer. Swinney said he remains concerned about replacing kicker Ammon Lakip, who was suspended after he was arrested and charged with DUI and cocaine possession in June.
Clemson opens its season Sept. 5 against Wofford.