Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence to Play vs. Wake Forest After Suffering Injury

After leaving last week's game against Syracuse because of neck and head injuries, Clemson Tigers quarterback Trevor Lawrence is expected to play against Wake Forest on Saturday.

Lawrence participated in practice Monday after he cleared concussion protocol, and Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney revealed he expected the freshman to be in the lineup against the Demon Deacons.

"That's why I put him back in practice [Monday] night," Swinney said Tuesday, per ESPN's Marty Smith.

The 6'6", 215-pound signal-caller left the Tigers' game against the Orange—his first career start—late in the first half after being hit near the head. Redshirt freshman Chase Brice then rallied his team to a 27-23 victory.

Swinney made it clear his young passer must play smarter after he "got the crap knocked out of him." He said: "He was out of control. I love the effort. But there's times that you live for another play," according to Smith.

Lawrence's health is even more important to Clemson in the wake of Kelly Bryant's departure. After Swinney informed Bryant last week Lawrence would start, the senior told the Greenville News' Manie Robinson he planned to transfer.

As of Saturday, though, Bryant was still enrolled at Clemson, according to Morgan Moriarty of SB Nation. Swinney said in an on-field interview with ESPN's Holly Rowe (h/t The Athletic's Bruce Feldman) that he would welcome the upperclassman back.

Bryant was 16-2 as the Tigers' starter.

With Lawrence's status for the Wake Forest contest uncertain, Clemson was planning to give its backups practice snaps. According to ESPN.com's David M. Hale, Brice was going to take first-team reps, and Ben Batson and receiver Hunter Renfrow would've worked with the second team.

However, Lawrence appears to be healthy enough to return.