Monday Morning Reset: Lawrence, QB Rumors, 'Transition' Phase to Dominate Clemson's Week
Football never sleeps.
Despite the long layoff until August being underway, the staff at All Clemson will be taking a look this week at players who need to get the most out of Dabo Swinney's "transformation" phase, which is a key stage to the 2021 season.
NFL draft coverage will soon heat up, and Trevor Lawrence will be the talk of the league. Baseball and softball games are becoming increasingly important. In other words, don't go anywhere. There's a lot to keep up with surrounding Clemson athletics with football taking a hiatus.
However, here's a look at key football stories coming out of the spring you might've missed last week:
Brent Venables wasn't surprised why Mike Jones Jr. left
Cornerback Andrew Booth Jr. could have a great year
Swinney has summer plans for quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei
Freshman linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. has the "right stuff"
A healthy Tyler Davis is back on the defensive front
Here are five storylines for this week:
1. Trevor Time?: Former Clemson QB Lawrence had a heck of a week last week. He was spotted at The Masters taking in the golf and chatting it up with Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes. Then he got married Saturday and received a wedding gift from Jacksonville Jaguars fans. Now it's time to become a pro quarterback. Lawrence will be drafted first overall two weeks from Thursday. He missed NFL draft physical exams to be at his own wedding, but reports are that everything is going well since he had non-throwing shoulder surgery. Nothing will stop him from being a Jaguar at this point.
2. Transfer time?: Swinney might just be circling the NCAA transfer portal after all. The Tigers are in need of another warm body at quarterback with the loss of Taisun Phommachanh to injury. There's no better way to fill that need than basically a pool of free agents. Does that mean Swinney's finally committed to dipping his toe into that pool? Is there a QB out there who's OK with being a backup to D.J. Uiagalelei? Regardless, the Tigers need more depth there or it could change their approach to this season.
3. A step back?: Monte Lee and the Clemson baseball team lost an ACC series for the first time since getting swept at UNC a month ago when Virginia came to Doug Kingsmore Stadium and took two of three over the weekend. It ended a three-series streak as the Tigers fell to 9-9 in conference play. But they're still fourth in the Atlantic Division and a weekend trip to No. 18 Miami awaits.
4. What's next for Watson?: Former Clemson QB Deshaun Watson and his legal team won a battle late last week in the civil courts with the plaintiffs who have accused him of sexual assault. Some of the acts were consensual, according to Watson's attorneys. The NFL has its own investigation going. Where this saga goes next is hard to tell, but it isn't going away anytime soon.
5. Will softball be rusty?: John Rittman's Tigers haven't played since April 3. They didn't have a midweek opponent last week, and their series at Notre Dame was postponed because of COVID-19 issues with the Fighting Irish. Up next. Clemson hosts Winthrop for a Tuesday doubleheader before Boston College comes to town this weekend. The Tigers, who are 26-4 overall and 18-4 in ACC play, sit second in the conference standings behind FSU.
