10/29/2020 football Edit

Lawrence Tests Positive for COVID-19, Will Miss BC Game

Andy Backstrom

Staff Writer

Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence has tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss Saturday’s game against Boston College.

NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport were the first to break the news Thursday night, and Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney provided an official statement less than an hour later.

“Trevor has authorized us this evening to announce that he has tested positive for COVID-19 and is now in isolation,” Swinney said, per Clemon Athletics. “He is doing well with mild symptoms but will not be available for this week’s game against Boston College. While we certainly will miss Trevor, this is an opportunity for other guys to step up and we’re excited about competing against a very good BC team on Saturday. Go Tigers.”

Five-star backup D.J. Uiagalelei is expected to start this weekend. Rated as the No. 1 QB and No. 3 overall recruit in the Class of 2020, the true freshman has appeared in five games this season. In cleanup duty, Uiagalelei has completed 12-of-19 attempts for 102 yards, while rushing for 32 yards and a pair of scores.

According to ACC protocol, any player who tests positive for COVID-19 must isolate for at least 10 days “from the onset of symptoms or the positive test.” After this week’s game versus BC, Clemson is scheduled to travel to South Bend to play No. 4 Notre Dame on Nov. 7.

Lawrence, who Hafley said is going to be the “future of the NFL” after Wednesday’s practice, is expected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 Draft. He leads the ACC with 305.5 passing yards per game, is completing a career-high 70.7% of his pass attempts, and has tossed 17 touchdowns this year—tied for the second most in the country.

The 6-foot-6 junior helped spearhead the #WeWantToPlay movement in August. At the time, the 2020 campaign was hanging in the balance. Lawrence, Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields, and others spoke up, calling for the safe execution of a college football season as well as the creation of a players association.

In addition to Lawrence, the Tigers will also be without graduate linebacker James Skalski (groin), who is tied for the team lead with 14 solo tackles. Defensive tackle Tyler Davis (ankle) and linebacker Mike Jones (hamstring) are possible scratches, too.