Clemson HC Dabo Swinney Reveals One Issue for Tait Reynolds

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The Clemson Tigers seem very likely to roll into the 2026 college football season with Christopher Vizzina as their starting quarterback, but Vizzina certainly needs to look over his shoulder throughout the process.

Why? Because freshman quarterback Tait Reynolds has clearly caught the eye of head coach Dabo Swinney, and he is a serious threat to steal Vizzina's job.

Reynolds became the clear QB2 in spring practice, and if he outplays Vizzina in fall camp, he could very well end up under center by the time Clemson opens the season against LSU on Sept. 5.

Swinney has raved about Reynolds throughout the offseason, and that continued as the Tigers began fall camp this week.

But does Swinney think Reynolds has any shortcomings? Perhaps there is one small deficiency in Reynolds' makeup, and Swinney identified it while speaking to reporters.

“I mean, I don’t know what you wouldn’t like,” Swinney said. “Name anything that you like about quarterbacks — I mean, I guess he is not 6’4", what is he, 6’2" or something — but is there really anything to not like? He is a great young prospect.”

Reynolds does, in fact, stand 6-foot-2, which, while not ideal for quarterbacks, is certainly not a dealbreaker.

In fact, that is the same height as former Clemson signal-caller Cade Klubnik, who is now playing for the New York Jets.

As far as everything else? Swinney seems to feel that Reynolds — who saw his senior season at Queen Creek derailed due to a hamstring injury — checks off every other box.

“That is why we signed him,” Swinney added. “We don’t like to sign players, especially at that position, that we don’t think we can be really good.”

Clemson signed two quarterbacks for the class of 2026, bagging both Reynolds and Brock Bradley. Both players were three-star recruits, but it seems clear that Swinney is treating the former as if he is a four or five-star.

The Tigers have certainly had some fine quarterbacks walk through their doors, with Swinney coaching names like Deshaun Watson, Trevor Lawrence and Klubnik. He knows a good signal-caller when he sees one, so it's probably time we all started paying close attention to Reynolds.

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