Kelly Bryant, who's started the last 18 games at Clemson and led it to the 2017 College Football Playoff, has played his last snap for the Tigers.
Following Dabo Swinney's decision to name true freshman Trevor Lawrence the starter, Bryant announced he will sit out the remainder of the year and redshirt under the new NCAA guidelines, preserving his final year of eligibility, and transfer to a new program to play next fall.
From The Greenville News:
On Sunday, coach Dabo Swinney informed Bryant that he was no longer the starting quarterback. On Tuesday, Bryant informed Swinney that he will transfer.
Under new NCAA redshirt guidelines, by leaving Clemson now, Bryant can salvage his final year of eligibility. He has not decided where he will spend it.
“I feel like it's what's best for me and my future,” Bryant said in an exclusive interview with The Greenville News. “I was just going to control what I could control and try to make the most of my opportunity, but at the end of the day, I just don't feel like I’ve gotten a fair shot.”
...
“They asked me how I felt about it,” Bryant said, recalling his meeting with Swinney. “I was like, ‘I’m not discrediting Trevor. He’s doing everything asked of him, but on my side of it, I feel like I haven't done anything to not be the starter. I've been here. I've waited my turn. I've done everything y’all have asked me to do, plus more.’
“I've never been a distraction. I've never been in trouble with anything. To me, it was kind of a slap in the face.”
Wherever he chooses to go, Bryant will be eligible immediately as a graduate transfer.
As for Clemson, the Tigers will now be quarterbacked by a true freshman the remainder of the season.
Lawrence was the No. 1 quarterback in the class coming out of high school, but a true freshman has only led his team to a national championship once, it happened over 30 years ago.
