2018 Clemson Football Position Early Outlook: Quarterback

NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 01: Kelly Bryant
NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 01: Kelly Bryant /
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The 2018 Clemson football season is a little more than seven months away. Here’s our early outlook at the quarterback position for the Tigers.

The 2018 Clemson football season is more than a half-year away. The Tigers will open up with Furman on the first of September, but we have a lot of analysis to do between now and then.

Here in the midst of winter, we will offer an early position outlook for Clemson football.

Today, let’s kick off the series with a look at the ever-so-important position of quarterback.

Pre-Spring Projected Depth Chart:

Starter: Kelly Bryant (senior)

  • Hunter Johnson (sophomore)
  • Chase Brice (redshirt freshman)
  • Trevor Lawrence (true freshman)

Quarterbacks Coach: Brandon Streeter

2018 Position Outlook:

The Tigers will return Kelly Bryant, who started all 14 games last season, but there’s definitely some controversy at the position.

Many Clemson football fans are looking for sophomore Hunter Johnson or true-freshman Trevor Lawrence to overtake the starter role.

Heading into the spring, though, it’s Kelly Bryant’s job to lose.

I’d be surprised to see anyone besides Bryant take the first snap when the Tigers take on Furman in seven months. The coaches have a loyalty to him and I know that many Tiger fans only want to remember the Alabama game, but Kelly Bryant did do some great things and took some steps forward during the 2017 season.

All that being said, I do think that either Lawrence or Johnson could see extended playing time this year.

Clemson could run specialized packages to get two quarterbacks on the field. With all the talent they have at the position, there’s a lot of freedom for the coaches.

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I expect to see a good competition in the spring and fall between all four quarterbacks. It will be interesting to see if Trevor Lawrence can learn the system and compete. We won’t really get to see much until the spring game and even then, that’s just a scrimmage, but it will be interesting to watch.