Earlier this week, Trevor Lawrence appeared to have left the door open when he told a reporter “I don’t know,” when asked whether he might change his mind about turning professional at season’s end and return to Clemson for one more year.

“We will have to see how things unfold,” the quarterback said this past Tuesday.

Dabo Swinney, who was on Mark Packer’s Off Campus Show on ESPNU Radio Thursday, said he did not read anything into Lawrence’s comments.

“He is going to do whatever he needs to do. I am going to save a scholarship for him, just in case,” Swinney said. “But, you know, I am not real worried about it. He ain’t worried about it either. He has one thing on his mind and that is leading the Tigers and having a great season this year. All of that stuff will take care of itself whenever the time comes.”

Clemson’s head coach felt Lawrence just answered the question and really was not trying to imply anything.

“We will certainly let him stay if that is what he wants to do. But I will be surprised if he is back with the Tigers next year,” Swinney said. “But who knows? You never know. I didn’t think Christian Wilkins was coming back. But he did.”

Clemson has had a knack for keeping its big-time players for another year. In 2009, C.J. Spiller stayed for his senior year and so did Tajh Boyd in 2013. As Swinney mentioned, Wilkins came back for one more year in 2018, as did his defensive line teammates Clelin Ferrell and Austin Bryant.

Last January, running back Travis Etienne stunned everyone when he announced he was returning for his senior season.

However, Lawrence seems to be a different case. He currently is the favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick in April’s NFL Draft.

“I will not give his number away until he makes sure he tells me he is gone, but I am not real worried about it,” Swinney said. “I do not get caught up in all that stuff … and he does not either. I think he was just answering the question.”

Top-ranked Clemson will host Boston College Saturday at Death Valley. Kickoff is scheduled for noon.

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