Other than some lingering after effects with his taste and smell, Trevor Lawrence feels great and normal following his bout with the coronavirus, which he tested positive for on Oct. 29.
The Clemson quarterback could not play in the Tigers’ last two games because of it, including last Saturday’s double-overtime loss at Notre Dame. Lawrence was able to make the trip with his team to South Bend, Ind., but he watched the game from the sideline.
“It was definitely tough being on the sideline and not being able to play,” he said Monday. “But I rather be there than be at home watching and just give any support I could offer, extra set of eyes, whatever it was, some help with D.J. (Uiagalelei) or whatever it may be. I am just glad I was there to be a part of it and be with the team.”
After he found out he was positive for COVID-19, Lawrence thought back to when he first started feeling bad. He said he was having mild symptoms on that Monday, but he thought it was a cold because he suffers from bad allergies. He said he was just stuffed up and had a little bit of a headache.
“I really did not think anything of it,” he said. “I still practiced. It was not even bad enough for me to see the trainers, as far as how I felt. I did not really feel that bad and then Wednesday night before my test came back the next morning, I started to feel worse and then Thursday morning, when they called me and told me I was positive, I felt really bad on Thursday and Friday as far as just like flu-like symptoms. But after Friday, I felt good and started feeling better every day and was back to normal pretty quick.
“It was probably two days of feeling pretty bad, but that was it.”
Lawrence said he was concerned a little bit because the virus, though there is a small chance, could have lingering effects and could be bad. But he felt confident he was going to be okay. He did what the trainers and medical staff advised him to do while he was isolated, which was take his medicine and vitamins to try and get back to normal as quick as possible.
“It worked, and thankfully, I am still healthy and feeling good,” he said. “Yeah, I think there is a little bit of concern because of the nature of the virus, but I am feeling good, so I am thankful for that.”
The Clemson quarterback felt ready to play this past weekend, but said he still has to talk with the trainers because he is not hundred percent sure about how they want him to get reacclimated to practice.
“When I was still in isolation, I tried to do a little bit on my own, whenever I could, obviously,” he said. “As I felt better towards the end of my quarantine, I started doing some stuff on my own, not too much though. And then when I came back, I was here on Thursday. It was my first day back. I threw a little bit at practice, but I did not run around too much.”
Lawrence, who threw the ball in a net when he has at home during isolation, came in on Sunday and worked out. He said he ran and did some agility work and felt pretty good doing it all.
“I was a little out of shape after sitting around for about a week, but other than that there is nothing crazy and I feel normal,” he said.
As far as getting back to practice and getting ready for the Tigers’ Nov. 21 game at Florida State, Lawrence feels he will be ready to go and will play when the fourth-ranked Tigers visit Tallahassee, Fla.
“I felt good, honestly, this past weekend, but I will definitely be ready,” he said. “I still have to talk to the trainers and still have to figure everything out. But hopefully, I am back in practice just like normal this week, so we will see.”
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