CLEMSON – Trevor’s the man.
Well, at least for Saturday’s game against Syracuse.
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney announced Monday morning that freshman Trevor Lawrence will get the starting nod at quarterback when the Tigers play host to the unbeaten Orange in a noon game at Memorial Stadium.
“You’ve got to award production,” Clemson co-offensive coordinator Tony Elliott said Monday.
Graduate Kelly Bryant had started each of the last 18 games for Clemson, including the first four games of this season.
But an ineffective performance by Bryant in Saturday’s win at Georgia Tech and a four-touchdown performance by Lawrence precipitated a change in the depth chart.
Bryant completed 6 of 10 passes for 56 yards and a touchdown and rushed four times for five yards on Saturday. Lawrence entered the game early in the second quarter and guided Clemson to five touchdowns in six possessions.
The 6-foot-6 rookie from Cartersville, Georgia, completed 13 of 18 passes for 176 yards and four touchdowns.
“He was very productive with his opportunity,” Swinney said Sunday evening. “He managed the pocket well and he was very patient when he got outside the pocket. He was accurate. He did a lot of good things for sure.
“There’s definitely still room for improvement. He’s a work in progress every week, but it was definitely his best game. He was very poised. The game has slowed down for him and he’s making good decisions with the ball.”
Lawrence has thrown for 600 yards in four games while completing 65 percent of his passes. He also has passed for a team-leading nine touchdowns.
He becomes the first freshman to start at quarterback for Clemson since Deshaun Watson was named the starter over Cole Stoudt for the fourth game of the 2014 season. Watson passed for a school-record six touchdowns in that first start, a 50-35 win against North Carolina.
Bryant, who guided Clemson to a 12-2 record and a third consecutive College Football Playoff berth last season, has completed 66.7 percent of his passes for 461 yards and two scores this season. He’s also rushed for 130 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries.
“They both have played well and done a lot for us,” Elliott said. “It just came down to rewarding productivity. You look at his (Lawrence’s) opportunities and he’s taken advantage of them.
“Kelly didn’t do anything wrong; it’s just a situation where he’s been in a game, he’s been productive and to be fair to competition – just like we do at every position – coach decided to name him the starter for this game. Again, it’s not a lifetime contract. He’s got to prove it in practice and in the next game.”
