By R.L. Bynum
Clemson’s quarterback situation, already unsettled for most of training camp, took another unexpected turn this weekend, and it appears set to hand a true freshman his first career start against North Carolina in the ACC opener for both teams Saturday.
According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Tigers quarterback Christopher Vizzina is considered week-to-week after injuring his elbow in Saturday night’s 22–7 home victory over Georgia Southern. Freshman Tait Reynolds is expected to make his first career start when UNC (2–0) visits Clemson (1–1) for a noon game Saturday (ESPN).
Vizzina, who beat out the 6–2, 215-pound Reynolds for the starting job in camp, played just three offensive series before the injury forced him out of Saturday’s game. He completed 4 of 7 passes for 19 yards, with one touchdown and one interception, connecting with T.J. Moore on a 10-yard touchdown pass that gave the Tigers an early 7-0 lead. The trouble came on a hit that left his left arm numb, and despite wanting to return, he never got the chance.
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said afterward that the Tigers had planned to give Reynolds the fourth offensive series regardless of the injury, but the numbness in Vizzina’s arm made the decision for him when it came time to consider putting his starter back on the field.
“We wanted to get him back in there, but his left arm was basically numb,” Swinney said.
That left the offense in the hands of Reynolds, a three-star recruit out of Queen Creek, Ariz., who also signed with Clemson to play baseball. He finished 16 of 27 for 178 passing yards and added 38 rushing yards.
Reynolds lost a fumble at the Georgia Southern 10 on his opening drive. He led five scoring drives in relief of Vizzina, though all five ended in Nolan Hauser field goals.
In that game, former UNC quarterback Max Johnson, now with Georgia Southern, was 27 of 47 for 244 yards and one touchdown, including a 42-yard pass.
Swinney praised what he saw from the freshman while also making clear there is still room to grow.
“I thought Tait showed a lot of promise tonight. He did a lot of good stuff,” Swinney said. “I wish he had not made some of the mistakes he did, but he’ll learn from it.”
In Clemson’s season-opening 51–10 loss at LSU on Sept. 5, Reynolds was 4 of 6 for 22 yards.
Reynolds enrolled early in January and pushed Vizzina throughout the spring and summer before narrowly losing the starting job.
Vizzina’s timetable remains unclear, and Swinney offered little clarity after the Georgia Southern game.
“We’ll see. Hopefully it’s nothing bad,” he said, before adding that the Tigers will lean on both quarterbacks. “We will need both of those guys, but Tait showed some promise.”
For now, though, the job appears to belong to Reynolds.
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Photo via @ClemsonFB
