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CLEMSON, S.C. – Dabo Swinney had something to say about Chase Brice. Well, more than one thing. That's Dabo Swinney, after all.
"If you really paid attention … I've been talking about Chase Brice since spring," Swinney began. Then he embarked on what looked like a monologue, as a soliloquy, perhaps to calm the collective panic that ensued after his Clemson team needed his quarterback at three. ropes to gather the Tigers in front of Syracuse, Saturday.
"I tell you all, this kid can play!" Swinney continued. "I'm not surprised, we recruited him, he was one of the top 15 quarterbacks in the country, he won a national title, he has a lot of loot, a lot of moxie, he can throw it!"
For months, Swinney told everyone who would hear that he actually believed that he had three quarters on his roster likely to win an ACC title: Kelly Bryant, who had already won a league title last season; true freshman Trevor Lawrence; and Brice, a freshman in a red shirt from Grayson, Georgia.
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The victory and rallies of Notre Dame by Ohio State and Clemson brought some clarity to the teams in pursuit of Alabama for the playoffs.
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After Bryant's departure and Lawrence's early injury to Syracuse, Brice showed he could win an ACC match. Lawrence enters this week into the school's concussion protocol, so Clemson might need Brice to prove Swinney again, at Wake Forest on Saturday.
Few people thought it would happen when Brice signed with Clemson in 2017, as a four-star prospect with a record of 37-4 high schools. He was largely neglected in this category, Clemson's quarterback, less promoted, recruited behind the ESPN 300 hopeful, Hunter Johnson. Throughout 2017, however, Brice showed his coaches why they had signed it.
He ran the scouting team and impressed defensive coordinator Brent Venables so well, he said to Swinney many times: "This kid is a baller."
Then, in 2018, another quarterback of 300 ESPN made the headlines: Lawrence, the No. 1 ranked prospect at his post. Brice was fourth behind Bryant, Johnson and Lawrence at the opening of the spring trials. In the end, Johnson was transferred and all the quarterback discussions were focused on the battle between Bryant and Lawrence.
The reality was that Swinney would never need Brice unless something bad happened.
Then, something serious happened: Bryant decided last week to leave the team and to be transferred after losing his position. Lawrence started against Syracuse, was hit in the lead in the second quarter and left the match.
Brice calmly grabbed his helmet and said to his teammates: "We'll be fine and nothing will change. But how many people out of the Clemson sideline had confidence that Brice could lead a team that struggled to score?
Kelly Bryant started following trends on social media. Could he really join the team?
At half-time, inside the locker room, no one said Bryant's name. Offensive coaches gathered around Brice and told him, "You have this."
"The greatest thing we told him was to relax and go ballooning.You have a lot of talent and experience around you, you do not have to do everything. yourself, "said offensive coordinator Jeff Scott. "All we need to do is drive the car."
Clemson coaches prepared Brice for the moment all week. As a third-string quarterback, Brice rarely took a coaching representative. But as a substitute, Brice shared the representatives of the practice with Lawrence. The preparation of the film has made even more sense. Scott stated that he and co-offensive coordinator Tony Elliott had attended the quarterback meetings just to make sure Lawrence and Brice were well prepared.
Offensive coaches challenged their players, anticipating what could happen. "We told our offensive players this week, we have a lot more games to play," Scott said. "The chances of Trevor getting hurt are likely to happen and everyone in the stadium is going to shut up, but we can not shut up offensively."
Without Bryant, Clemson had three freshmen on his quarterback depth card plus emergency option # 4 Hunter Renfrow, a wide receiver. As much as they disagreed with Bryant's decision, the Tigers did not have time to dwell on it.
Especially after Lawrence's injury.
Clemson made a concerted effort to run the ball behind Travis Etienne, Tavien Feaster and Adam Choice. The plan began operating in the fourth quarter, just when Brice was setting up in a rhythm. Syracuse opened a 23-13 lead with 12:58 to go, but Brice said: "Throughout the second half, we did not act as if we were losing."
Brice avoided looking at the clock and claimed to be back in training. Clemson closed at 23-20 and found the ball at the 6 yard line with 6:06 left. The game of the Tigers brought them to Clemson 48, where they had to convert a fourth and a sixth time with 2:38.
"I knew we were going," said Brice. "There was no doubt in my mind."
The coaches called a pass for Brice, who found Tee Higgins with a flawless pass for 20 yards. In the first round, Brice took the ball on a pass option and ran for 17 yards, even shocking his coaches. At this point, Clemson imagined inevitably winning. Etienne scored on a 2-yard run with 41 seconds left to seal the comeback in the fourth quarter and give Brice his own place in Clemson's history.
"I'll always remember, as long as Chase is here, fourth and sixth with the game in play," Scott said.
"Can you imagine being put in this position?" Venables asked after. "I just told you that he's a player, note it."
It seemed so hard to believe afterwards. Since the end of last season, three quarters have left Clemson. But Brice stuck to the Tigers, believing his day would come. He had the biggest crowd around him during his first-ever media appearance after the match, reporters and television cameras crammed into a corner, looking to position themselves.
After the attack subsided a little, Brice was asked to think about his trip last year. He is lost in the moment.
"Could you repeat the question?" He asked.
He listened more carefully.
"Just trust yourself and what you know you can do," said Brice. "I knew that sooner or later I would have a chance – they always preach: take advantage of your opportunity, so going out there and doing that is a good feeling and it brings a lot of confidence."
"Do you think he's going to walk on campus Monday with his chest spread?" Swinney said. "It's pretty cool, because right now he's led the Tigers to a win." Not only did he lead the Tigers to a win, but he did it with the online match . "
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