Clemson lives with the fallout after switching to star freshman quarterback Trevor Lawrence
Nothing like a bit of drama, spiced by a twist in the rules, to enliven what appears to be a less-than-stellar ACC football season.
There’s still time for erstwhile divisional contenders like Florida State and Georgia Tech to quit stumbling and rehabilitate their once-lofty fortunes, and for a few happy outliers like Duke, N.C. State and Syracuse to build on their early success. But an overall 3-6 record against Power Five teams, and a lowlight loss by Virginia Tech to FCS opponent Old Dominion, don’t speak well to the ACC’s prowess.
Ratifying that middling status, Jeff Sagarin’s power ratings for USA Today have at least one division from all the other power conferences ranked higher than any from the ACC.
At this point, regular-season opportunities to prove teams’ mettle against outside opposition have dwindled to a precious few. Only six meetings remain with non-league foes, four of them Power Five representatives in Week 13 rivalry games. Even if the ACC again swarms postseason bowls – many of which are marketing contrivances desperate for participants with non-losing records -- that won’t constitute evidence of the league’s shining merits.
As is often the case, then, a single outstanding ACC power appears fated to carry the conference’s banner. These days that’s resilient Clemson, winner of three straight ACC titles and a participant in each of those years in the national championship playoff.
The Tigers, FBS champs in 2016 behind veteran quarterback Deshaun Watson, again are the pick of the ’18 league litter. But now they’ve encountered an internal bump that could derail their ambitions.
This year and last, through a similar point in the season Clemson was comparably strong on both sides of the ball. The major difference has been increased clout offensively, particularly more productive passing and passing efficiency.
Which is where the drama – and the bump -- came in.
The aerial improvement primarily traces to 6-5 freshman quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Incumbent starter Kelly Bryant, a grad student, was highly competent; Lawrence, a top prep prospect, was transformational coming off the bench. After four games of partial duty, the long-locked Lawrence had passed for nine touchdowns, four in a resounding win at Georgia Tech. Bryant threw for two scores this season given similar opportunity and 13 in 14 outings in 2017, topped by a personal-best three touchdowns against The Citadel.
Lawrence’s explosiveness apparently led coach Dabo Swinney to alter his quarterback rotation, rewarding the rookie by making him the starter a month into the season. The choice didn’t preclude the well-respected Bryant from rotating into games or returning to a starter’s role if justified by superior performance. There was always the chance of injury to Lawrence, a possibility realized early in the Tigers’ dramatic rally to victory against Syracuse behind third-string quarterback Chase Brice.
In truth, no matter how painful for a demoted player, it’s not unusual in any sport for production to supercede seniority, for dues paid failing to guarantee anything except respect.
Still, Bryant took the move as an insult so egregious he precipitously announced he would transfer to another school. “To me, it was kind of a slap in the face,” he told the Greenville News. “I feel like I haven’t done anything to not be the starter. I’ve been there. I’ve waited my turn. I’ve done everything y’all have asked me to do, plus more.”
A similar dilemma arose at Alabama, where during last year’s championship game coach Nick Saban pulled veteran starting quarterback Jalen Hurts in favor of Tua Tagovailoa, a galvanizing freshman. This year, despite threats by his father, Hurts decided to stick around rather than transfer, and Tagovailoa has emerged as a leading Heisman candidate.
The Alabama example couldn’t have escaped Swinney, an alum, when he shuffled signal callers. “As far as the decision, it’s just, you know, as a coach, sometimes you have to make tough decisions that are in the best interest of the team, and this is one of those decisions,” he said after having the grace to inform Bryant to his face. (Not automatic behavior in sports.) “And I would make it all over again because I believe that it’s what’s right for our team.”
Like it or not, part of being a member of any team is subordinating personal interests to the betterment of the group. Many of us would have trouble with such sacrifice, especially after presumably proving ourselves. But, then, notions of belonging on a sports team have shifted, especially among elite college athletes with sights set on a deferred payday.
Cheered on by outsiders who decry their exploitation, star players now sit out bowl games rather than help teammates to victory, their reticence an accepted attempt to avoid risking their pro prospects. Early departures by football players have become more common, too. Meanwhile, coaches who promise and demand loyalty make no apologies about stockpiling players at virtually every position in tacit recognition of their impermanence.
Within that larger landscape, where a tussle continues over athletes’ benefits and freedoms, a new NCAA accommodation allowed Bryant to appear in up to four games without forgoing a year of eligibility. Disliking Swinney’s verdict, Bryant eyed the newly created crease in the college establishment’s defense of its prerogatives and bolted to daylight, only to see Brice step into the breach when Lawrence was hurt.
The drama at Clemson is an early sign of things to come. Increasing player discretion to transfer, like baseball free agency, almost inevitably loosens team allegiances and coaches’ control. Get used to it. And, if you’re a fan of the ACC, hope Trevor Lawrence – or Chase Brice -- stay healthy.
This story was originally published October 3, 2018 at 10:25 AM with the headline "Clemson lives with the fallout after switching to star freshman quarterback Trevor Lawrence."