Brian Kelly drops truth bomb when asked about playing Clemson without Trevor Lawrence
By Scott Rogust
The Notre Dame head coach responds to the news that Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence will miss next week’s huge game.
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish, the fourth-ranked team in the nation, ensured their undefeated season remained intact on Saturday, as they defeated the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 31-13. With Georgia Tech behind them, the Fighting Irish now set their focus on their toughest opponent of the season — the Clemson Tigers.
Of course, there was the uncertainty of whether star quarterback Trevor Lawrence would participate in the big game due to his testing positive for COVID-19 on Thursday. But head coach Dabo Swinney confirmed on Saturday that Lawrence will not be available for the Tigers next weekend.
When asked about Lawrence being ruled out a week in advance, Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly wished him well in his recovery, while calling it “a shame” that the best player in college football won’t be playing.
Brian Kelly on Trevor Lawrence not playing next week:
— Pete Sampson (@PeteSampson_) October 31, 2020
"It’s shame Trevor is not playing. We wish him good health and a speedy recovery.
"It’s too bad he’s not playing. You want the best players to play."
Notre Dame will prepare to face D.J. Uiagalelei
With Lawrence out of the picture for the huge Nov. 7 meeting, Notre Dame will spend its week studying film on D.J. Uiagalelei, Clemson’s five-star recruit and top pro-style quarterback in the 2020 class.
Uiagalelei appeared in spot appearances throughout the season in relief of Lawrence during blowouts. But, the true freshman got his first official start on Saturday against the Boston College Golden Eagles. Things got off to a rough start for Clemson, as they were facing a 28-10 deficit late in the first half. But Uiagalelei used his arms and his legs to help lead the Tigers to a 34-28 victory. The freshman completed 30-of-41 pass attempts for 342 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for a 30-yard score on a draw play.
Even with Lawrence’s absence, Notre Dame will still have to prepare for a tough outing on their home turf next Saturday night, because Uiagalelei is no slouch.
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