Kelly Bryant Named Clemson Starting QB; Deondre Francois to Start for FSU

Two of the ACC's premier programs have settled their starting quarterback questions heading into the first week of the 2018 season.

Per FS1's Bruce Feldman, senior Kelly Bryant is listed as the starter for Clemson on Saturday against Furman. 

Feldman added Florida State will have Deondre Francois at quarterback for Monday's showdown with Virginia Tech.

Bryant had a successful 2017 season taking over for Deshaun Watson. He led the Tigers to a 12-2 record and an ACC championship with 2,802 passing yards, 665 rushing yards and 24 total touchdowns.

True freshman Trevor Lawrence, who is the top-ranked player in the 2018 class by 247Sports, was competing against Bryant for the starting job.

"[Bryant's] confidence is tremendously higher; the game is just slower for him," Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said, per ESPN.com's Andrea Adelson. "As a result, he's playing faster. He's processing things faster. He's being very consistent with his decision-making. He's throwing the ball extremely well down the field. He's been very accurate on our intermediate throws. Just really all of it."

Francois' 2017 campaign ended after one game when he injured his patellar tendon against Alabama. He was on the shortlist of preseason Heisman candidates heading into the season before the injury.

The 21-year-old Florida State star had multiple off-field issues earlier this year. Police were called in January to an apartment shared by Francois and his girlfriend for an alleged domestic violence situation, but the case is closed and inactive with no probable cause to make an arrest.

Francois entered a diversion program in April after police found marijuana at his residence.

Sophomore James Blackman and redshirt freshman Bailey Hockman were competing against Francois for the starting job.

Heading into last year, Francois threw for 3,350 yards and 20 touchdowns in his only full season as Florida State's quarterback in 2016.