Cartersville's Trevor Lawrence Wants Clemson's 4th National Title

CARTERSVILLE, GA — It was his moment to shine. He took the microphone and all of Cartersville smiled — that's our boy.

"How's it going, y'all?" the 20-year-old Clemson star said with a smile as he ran his hands through his famous hair, took a deep breath and looked over the cameras and microphones pointed his way.

"Here we go again."

Related: Clemson Quarterback Shines Light On Hometown Cartersville

Lawrence, who graduated from Cartersville High School, was in New Orleans Saturday facing a crowd of reporters for media day. His Tigers take on the Louisiana State team with the same mascot for the College Football Playoff national championship at 8 p.m. Monday at Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.

Last season, Clemson crushed Alabama 44-16 to win its second national championship and third national title. This year, Clemson must beat Heisman winner Joe Burrow, the quarterback for LSU, according to ESPN.

It was one year ago, in the 2019 College Football Playoff title game, when Lawrence and his locks took their place in the national sports consciousness.

But before that, Lawrence spent his media day surrounded by a relatively small gathering of reporters.

Then the Tigers dismantled Alabama 44-16 and Lawrence was immediately praised as the future of the sport, splashed across every preseason magazine and at the top of every early list of Heisman Trophy favorites, according to ESPN.

So, naturally, Lawrence's media day experience Saturday was completely different from last year. Now he's the face of college football, the defending national champion, offensive MVP of that game, national freshman of the year and recipient of a list of other awards and accolades, not to mention his perfect 25-0 record as a starter and of course his hair, according to ESPN.

Lawrence was the top recruit in the nation when he came out of Cartersville High. He broke the Georgia state records for passing yards and passing touchdowns, according to the AJC.

Saturday he was ready to talk about the here and now.

"We prepare the right way" and head coach Dabo Swinney "created a culture of belief."

A new reporter, having just walked up.

"Trevor, what's it going to be like facing a quarterback as talented as Joe Burrow?"

"The most-asked question has been how much our experience helps us," Lawrence said at the news conference. "It's kind of a loaded question in some ways. But in some ways when we get onto the field it doesn't really matter."

In a national championship overloaded with radiant stars like Heisman winner Burrow and soundbite-friendly coaches like Ed Orgeron and Swinney, no one is quite as immediately recognizable as the long-haired Lawrence, the Advocate reported.

Yet, Clemson’s sophomore quarterback hardly elicits an emotion. He showed no annoyance when asked for the fifth time about playing the equivalent of a road game in New Orleans, or the ninth time he was asked about what he likes about Burrow, or even when someone peppered him with famous tiger mascots (like Frosted Flakes’ Tony) and whether they better fit Clemson or LSU.

For what it’s worth, Lawrence recognizes it will be a hostile environment, respects Burrow’s elusiveness while keeping his eyes downfield and thinks Tony’s orange makes him more like Clemson.

But the main take away is that not a lot seems to get to Lawrence.

“Yeah, I'm ready,” Lawrence said. "I'm ready just to practice and get to the game honestly."

The starting quarterback job was not handed to Lawrence when he arrived on the Clemson campus. He played behind Kelly Bryant, whom he replaced after the fourth game of the season. Bryant has since transferred.

Clemson has not looked back after coach Swinney made the move.

In his hometown, Lawrence is a legend.

Dennis Priest is a football lover like most residents in Cartersville, so he knows well that the high school team’s starting quarterback is always a local celebrity.

“If you knew football,” Priest told Sports Illustrated in 2018, “you knew him.”

Plenty of people here know football - arguably the Georgia Bulldogs reign - and the few who are unfamiliar with the sport still recognize Lawrence, because how could they not? He stands 6'6" and has blond hair well past his shoulders.

“Can’t really miss him,” said Joey King, Lawrence’s high school coach.

There are also plenty of LSU fans in Georgia.

But here in Cartersville, Lawrence is tailed around this town like a movie star. Karie Young, a Cartersville native, once saw Lawrence at his go-to dining spot, El Charro Mexican Grill. He temporarily abandoned his burritos to pose for photos and sign autographs.

The subdued quarterback you see on your television is far different from the one who grew up here. Trevor was such a “wild man,” according to his mother, that he would often dash away from his parents into oncoming traffic.

His hair is somewhat of a mystery, even to his family: He sported a buzz cut in eighth grade before growing it out. “It kind of just blew up,” mother Amanda Lawrence says. “He never intended it to be his trademark.”

Trevor Mania got so intense here that, after one practice, Lawrence arrived to his vehicle to find two men waiting for a photo and autograph. They had driven down from Ohio.

Cartersville roots for its favorite son.

"It's funny," says Missy Rogers, the manager of 4 Way Lunch and, according to her red UGA Yeti mug, a Georgia supporter.

"A lot of people come in here and they'd never liked Clemson," she told Sports Illustrated. "Now, they're for Clemson."

The CFP title game can be watched live on ESPN and online on WatchESPN.

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