Clemson student should start against Tigers in season opener

It's official, this Saturday a Clemson student should start against the Tigers. While over 100 other Clemson students will run down the hill after rubbing Howard's Rock, one Clemson student, Harris Roberts, will be wearing the purple and white of the Paladins. Not only that, but according to Furman's depth chart, Roberts is listed as the starting quarterback for Furman-- just ahead JeMar Lincoln.

Roberts earned his bachelor degree in three years at Furman in pre-engineering and is enrolled in a cooperative educational exchange program that lets him play for the Paladins and study engineering at Clemson.

© Furman SID

Harris Roberts could start against the Tigers while taking classes at Clemson.

The Greenville News reported this about how Roberts is managing time as a student-athlete at two different schools:

"This was my best opportunity to play high-level football and study engineering," Roberts told the Greenville News. "The drive back and forth sometimes gets a little monotonous. That takes a lot of time out of the day that I could use for studying for class, studying film or taking a nap. Being able to manage my time has been the most difficult part, but it's been going well."

Jenna Green from Sports Illustrated also noted that Roberts said that his Clemson classmates and professors are surprised when they first find out where he plays.

"Once they figure out that I play football at Furman, they're kind of shell-shocked," Roberts said. "They just kind of think it's funny that they're going to class with someone who is going to play against them."

Yesterday, the news came down from Furman that Roberts would indeed be the starter. Should everything hold between now and kickoff, everyone in attendance will get to see a very unique site on Saturday, a Clemson student, going head to head with other Clemson students on the gridiron.