Really, should anyone ever have expected a different outcome?
After beginning the 2018 season as Clemson’s starting quarterback, Kelly Bryant lost the job in kind-of-a-slap-in-the-face fashion to true freshman phenom Trevor Lawrence and, four games into the campaign, decided to transfer from the Tigers. Both parties ultimately moved on, Bryant to Missouri and Clemson to the national championship.
At the SEC Media Days this summer, after the Tigers had doled out rings commemorating their latest title, Bryant was fine not receiving one -- “If it was there, it would have been cool. But it was no big issue for me.” -- even as some thought he should’ve. Wednesday, Dabo Swinney had a very succinct and to-the-point answer as to why his season-opening starter was not on the receiving end of any bling.
“He wasn’t on the team. You’ve gotta be on the team to get a ring,” the head coach told ESPN.com‘s Chris Low. “I love Kelly and appreciate what he did for us, but he decided to move on.
That’s it. End of story.
At least, it should be.