College Football
Clemson QB Battle: Will the Freshman Surpass the Senior?
We are midway through July in the dog days of summer and one of the hottest topics besides the weather is the QB battle brewing in Clemson. Incumbent starter Kelly Bryant looks to fight off the highly touted freshman Trevor Lawrence after being shut down in the Sugar Bowl and a less than stellar Spring Game performance.
Let the Clemson QB Battle BEGIN!
Going into spring camp, Clemson had an overabundance of talent and depth at quarterback. There were six guys vying for the top spot, so, as expected, transfers were going to happen. Two qbs transferred at the start of camp leaving four players for one spot: 2 freshmen, 1 sophomore, 1 senior. Back up Hunter Johnson was expected to challenge for QB as many fans were calling for him to be given a chance during the season when Bryant struggled. Redshirt freshman Chase Brice was an unsung hero for the Clemson scout team and considered a dark house by some to challenge for the starting spot. Last but not least was the highly touted five star recruit Trevor Lawrence whom some thought was the best QB recruit this recruiting cycle.
Clemson Spring Game: The Future Appears Bright at QB
All eyes were on the QBs as the spring game got underway. Hunter Johnson and Trevor Lawrence paired off on one team whilst Kelly Bryant and redshirt freshman Chase Brice on the opposing squad. The young pups at QB didn’t disappoint as Trevor Lawrence threw a 50-yard strike on his first drive, Hunter Johnson had 2 total touchdowns, and Chase Brice threw for over 230 yards. On the other hand, Kelly Bryant had a disappointing day (8-15 for 35 yards and 0 TDs) and didn’t do much to give the fan base more confidence in him.
The Transfer that Turned Heads
At this point, fans were excited by how the young QBs did. The buzz especially picked up for Trevor as he began to draw comparisons to former Clemson superstar DeShaun Watson. Well, to paraphrase how head coach Dabo Swinney put it, one performance doesn’t define a season of work. No, Kelly B didn’t look like the best QB on the field that day, but apparently, he did enough through spring camp to hold onto the starting spot heading into fall. Listed right below Bryant on the depth chart: Hunter Johnson and Trevor Lawrence, tied. Evidently, transfers weren’t going to end before summer as a few weeks later Hunter Johnson decided to head for greener pastures at Northwestern University. This somewhat surprising transfer had the Clemson faithful wondering…had he seen the writing on the wall? Was the highly touted freshman Trevor Lawrence the truth? The second coming of DeShaun Watson?
The Case for Kelly Bryant
Kelly Bryant had one of the toughest jobs in college football this past year in replacing a Clemson legend. DeShaun Watson went out on top winning the national championship, so anything less would be seen as a little bit of a letdown. Regardless, Bryant did a fantastic job managing games and led Clemson to a 12-2 record. Clemson won the ACC Championship for the third year in a row and locked a playoff spot for the third year in a row.. Bryant only had one bad game against Bama; then again, only a few star players have played well against Bama.
The Case for Trevor Lawrence
Clemson fans have seen this before. Back in 2014, Cole Stoudt was the senior starting on the depth chart while DeShaun Watson was the back up to begin the season. Watson began doing big things and the legend started to grow. However, Watson did break his collarbone during his first semester on campus, so there are some differences. Lawrence did flash some poise and talent with his touchdown during the spring game. Kelly Bryant is an exceptional athlete, but is he going to be able to beat teams with his arm? So far, the jury is still out on Bryant. Trevor Lawrence brings a field general ability and has enough quickness to get up the field to make plays just like…DeShaun Watson. Still, Lawrence hasn’t taken a regular season snap, but you got to love what you saw in the spring game.
Can the Freshman Surpass the Senior?
This will be the question heading into fall camp for Clemson. Head coach Dabo Swinney maintains the best players will play and history does support those words. Will this season mirror that of 2014 where it took Watson three games before taking over the QB job? Can Kelly Bryant prove the doubters wrong and take it to a new level in his final year? Who will start for the Clemson Tigers?
What do you think? How will the Clemson QB Battle shake out?
