Tucker Israel was cruising right along with Kelly Bryant and Nick Schuessler for the second quarterback job.

Israel broke a bone in his foot less than halfway through the first practice of preseason camp. On the shelf for the next month, the season had already started by the time he was healthy enough to play.

It was a lost cause. Israel had to redshirt in 2015.

By the time the Orange Bowl rolled around, he’d already come to grips with it all. In fact, he spoke highly of the redshirt experience.

How was it for you this season?

Israel: “I feel like it’s been a great learning experience, especially being a young player learning from the older players like Nick (Schuessler) and Deshaun (Watson) and just learning how to act on the sideline and be on the sideline and see what they see on the field as well, listen to them as they come off the field. I’ve learned a lot, actually, just from being on the sideline.”

What do you feel like improved as you’ve gone through the season?

Israel: “Just understanding defenses and what they’re trying to accomplish, going out there as an offense and executing. Definitely progressed a ton this redshirt year so far.”

How about the power hour?

Israel: “It’s intense stuff, but it’s definitely helpful for me. I’ve put on a lot of great weight, lost a lot of bad weight. Gotten stronger in all aspects of the weight room, squats, power-clean, bench, so it’s definitely helped. It’s definitely helped the rehab process in my foot, because I lost a lot of weight in my legs not being able to run for about a month. It really helped me.”

What’s it like being apart of the team that signals in plays from the sideline?

Israel: “It really helps keep you in the game, as well, and you kind of know what’s going to happen, what play we’re running. Me, as a quarterback and signaling into Deshaun…I know the play that they’re running, so I can see what they’re looking at and I can kind of get a picture through their eyes of what they might see when they run the play, so it’s kind of helped me, too, as well. I stay engaged in the game. It’s almost like I”m playing without being able to throw the ball, so I’ve really enjoyed being able to really stay engaged in the games and stuff like that.”

Heading into the spring, what are you trying to accomplish?

Israel: “Just to improve everyday and prove I still can still do the things I did in the spring and show that I’ve learned a ton along the way, show them that I’m ready to compete at a high level.”