Willy Korn could one day mean to the Clemson football program what Matt Ryan does now to Boston College.

Just not before next season.

A four-star, blue-chip quarterback from Byrnes High School, Willy Korn hopes to emulate Ryan this week in practice as the 15th-ranked Tigers prepare for the Heisman Trophy hopeful from nationally ranked BC.

"We will take Willy Korn today and let him play Matt Ryan for the next three days," Clemson coach Tommy Bowden said Tuesday. "He's not as tall, but I think he can bring some accuracy and velocity."

Those two qualities ó accuracy and velocity ó are what Bowden and his coaches believe Willy Korn can replicate to prepare the Tigers' defense for a player who could be the first quarterback taken in next year's NFL draft.

"I guess I'm giving the scout team that best look I can," Willy Korn said. "Hopefully I can be part of the reason we do well Saturday."

Clemson defensive coordinator Vic Koenning said Ryan reminds him of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, tall and poised with a rocket launcher attached to his right shoulder.

"He looks like he spent all of the off-season over there with the Patriots," Koenning said, "because he looks a lot like that cat they've got in a lot of ways."

Koenning said Willy Korn will be "as close as we can get" to duplicating Ryan without facing starter Cullen Harper.

"It's hard to imitate what Matt Ryan brings to the table," Bowden said. "The velocity and accuracy is going to be different."

Willy Korn is a logical candidate if for no other reason than he's not likely to play another down this season.

After beginning the season as Harper's backup he played 22 snaps in the second game against Louisiana- Monroe and 10 in the third game against Furman. After Furman, Bowden said he hoped to give Willy Korn "meaningful" playing time later in the season, but when Harper began to shred the Clemson record book it became unnecessary to push Willy Korn's development.

And since Willy Korn injured his shoulder in the Furman game, it fell within the allowable window to apply for a medical redshirt at the end of the season. By not playing again he will retain the season of eligibility and enter 2008 as a redshirt freshman.

Bowden said Willy Korn would be limited in his role as Ryan, though probably only by the disparity in experience and the fact that Ryan is three inches taller.

"That's what it's looking like," he said. "I've got to take it one week at a time. This week I'm focused on giving the defense a good look."

Willy Korn's practice time has been limited for nearly a month as he rehabilitates his shoulder, so the work is welcome despite his limitations.

"It's not close to how good I can throw," he said.

Willy Korn said the shoulder will not require surgery, and as he tries to contribute to the Tigers' run for an ACC championship it's only natural he look ahead to when he can compete again.

"I'm already getting excited about the spring," he said. "It's frustrating because, the second and third week of the season when I was still playing I was sharp; I was crisp, on the money.

"You look back and you wish you could get back to that point again," he said. "It's going to take a while."

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