CLEMSON FOOTBALL

Heisman still in play for Lawrence? With his biggest games in front of him, it is
Lawrence still has a shot at the coveted Heisman Trophy. (ACC photo)

Heisman still in play for Lawrence? With his biggest games in front of him, it is


by - Senior Writer -

Does Trevor Lawrence still have a chance at winning the Heisman Trophy? Of course he does. And I can say that because it’s my honor to vote for the trophy each season. But the Heisman Trophy doesn’t matter to head coach Dabo Swinney. No, the only trophy that matters to Swinney is the one you hoist at the end of the season that says you’re the National Champion.

Lawrence missed two weeks due to COVID, including a high-profile matchup at Notre Dame in early November, and then missed another week when Florida State decided (due to medical concerns) to abandon their home game against the Tigers.

In the meantime, Florida quarterback Kyle Trask and Alabama’s Najee Harris and Mac Jones continued to play and rack up big numbers, leading many to say that Lawrence is close to being out of the running.

Lawrence has thrown for 2,236 yards with 19 touchdowns, two interceptions, and a 70.6 completion percentage through seven games in 2020, but his biggest games are still in front of him. For instance, Clemson plays at Virginia Tech this weekend in a primetime game, and if Clemson wins that game, it will face Notre Dame in the ACC Championship Game in Charlotte on Dec. 19th.

The Heisman voters haven’t been told when the final day is to vote, but if Clemson wins in Charlotte there is a small chance that Lawrence will play in a College Football Playoff semifinal the weekend before the final vote takes place (the trophy will be presented Jan. 5th).

During his Tuesday press conference, Swinney was asked about Lawrence’s chances and said that while he doesn’t know what the voters will think, there is no doubt in his mind that his quarterback is the best player in the country.

"The best player in the country is Trevor Lawrence," Swinney said. "I mean I don't really care what anybody says and there's a lot of great players out there, but the best player in the country is Trevor Lawrence. He doesn't need to win the Heisman for that to be the case."

Clemson often empties the bench when a game is in hand, and as a result, Lawrence doesn’t rack up the numbers that go along with other players playing in fourth-quarter blowouts.

"If our goal was for him to win the Heisman, he'd be leading for the Heisman right now," Swinney said. "No doubt about that. But you know that's not our goal. Our goal is to just to win the game. He's only played in like 20 of his 37 fourth quarters. He's been on a dominant football team. We've won more games the last five years than anybody in the history of college football. He's been a dominant player. And unfortunately, the Heisman is a lot about stats."

The ultimate goal is the National Championship.

"If our No. 1 goal was to win a Heisman, we'd already have won one, but it's not the goal," Swinney said. "This is not a program built on individual things, we're built on team. The trophy we want to win is the team trophy."

ESPN analyst Todd McShay agrees with Swinney, saying earlier this week that Lawrence is easily the top pick in next spring’s NFL Draft.

“The Clemson quarterback is the cream of the crop in this class, and I expect him to be atop my board the rest of the way,” McShay said. “If you're looking for a comp, go back to the 2012 draft, when we knew for months that Andrew Luck was going to the Colts with the No. 1 pick to succeed Peyton Manning. Lawrence has everything NFL teams look for in a franchise signal-caller. At 6'6", he can make every throw with accuracy. He rarely makes mistakes. He can move around the pocket and throw on the run. Lawrence is the guy in this class."

Ultimate Level LogoUpgrade Your Account

Unlock premium boards and exclusive features (e.g. ad-free) by upgrading your account today.

Upgrade Now
Comment on this story
Print   
Send Feedback to David Hood: Email | Comment
FIRST LOOK: Clemson Basketball Dancing in March Bobblehead unveiled
FIRST LOOK: Clemson Basketball Dancing in March Bobblehead unveiled
4-star lineman picks up Clemson offer on visit
4-star lineman picks up Clemson offer on visit
WATCH: Clemson coordinators talk spring progress, break down latest scrimmage
WATCH: Clemson coordinators talk spring progress, break down latest scrimmage
No. 2 Tigers take on Hurricanes
No. 2 Tigers take on Hurricanes
Post your comments!