Clemson, SC — Hunter Renfro was in Clemson Tigers Early in the offseason found the weight room and a group of Tigers safeties. They were doing power cleans — lifting the barbell from the ground to overhead — hitting numbers in the upper 200s, which seemed about right.
Then the new quarterback saunters over and tries it, too.
“He’s power cleaning 285 like it’s nothing,” Renfro said of Clemson’s uber-prospect. Trevor Lawrence. “He’s just physically ready.”
Long before Lawrence arrived on Clemson’s campus in January, fans called him “ready.”
Dabo Swinney says Lawrence has all the tools Deshaun Watson Upon arrival, only Lawrence was a good physical specimen as a true freshman.
Recruiting websites touted Lawrence, who broke back-to-back Georgia high school records — many of which were previously held by Watson.
And the fans are uproarious. With his long, flowing locks and cocky demeanor, Lawrence is a QB apparently sent from central casting.
There is only one obstacle to the coronation — Kelly Bryant Not exactly planning to pass the baton.
“That’s my job, man,” Bryant said.
That point is hard to argue. Bryant led Clemson to the ACC title and the College Football Playoff last year, so the idea that he would be singled out for a true freshman seems a bit unrealistic.
Barring this true freshman Lawrence, Clemson is as refined as a prospect at the position. And in last year’s playoffs, Bryant and the Tigers’ offense suddenly stopped moving the football.
Then there’s the additional plot line after Clemson’s Sugar Bowl loss to Alabama. The Crimson Tide faced off against Georgia in the national title game, starting with QB Jalen Hurts trailing in the first half, then imploding in the second half when Nick Saban benched his veteran.
And if it works for soap, shouldn’t Sweeney be willing to do the same?
“It worked then, but it doesn’t always work,” Renfro said of the comparison to Alabama. “Kelly has been very consistent this spring and has done a great job.”
So that’s the big question. Does Clemson value consistency or potential? Did the Tigers learn where their ceiling was with Bryant last season against Alabama? Even if so, is Lawrence worth rolling the dice to get them back to the playoffs?
The truth is, people outside the program know very little about Sweeney’s true mindset. Saturday’s spring game will be fans’ first live look at Lawrence in a Clemson uniform, while Bryant continues to silence his next round of critics.
“I’ve proven I can do it, silence the critics. Still the questioners. But I know what I did last year and that’s confidence for me.”
Sweeney has been blunt throughout his assessment. Bryant tops the depth chart. Lawrence has a bright future. What happens in September and what happens in the next four months are yet to be determined.
But if Lawrence’s star shines brightly on Saturday, the pressure to hand the job to the new kid will only increase, and a long offseason of Lawrence-mania could spark a serious debate when fall camp opens.
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