Clemson chooses its backup quarterback. You’ll have to wait to find out who it is
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney knows which quarterback will be the backup to Trevor Lawrence on Saturday night at Wake Forest, but he isn’t ready to reveal the Tigers’ choice just yet.
Clemson released its depth chart for the season opener Monday night, and it listed true freshman D.J. Uiagalelei and redshirt freshman Taisuon Phommachanh as co-backups.
The Tigers will keep quiet who earned the No. 2 QB job until a situation presents itself that a backup enters the game. That very well could happen fairly early on against Wake Forest with the Tigers 32.5-point favorites.
Clemson offensive coordinator Tony Elliott said Monday that Swinney and quarterbacks coach Brandon Streeter had “some serious conversations about which guy will run out there next.” Swinney added Tuesday that Streeter made the final call.
“Streeter has kind of told me who he wants to run out there second, if that presented itself, that opportunity. So I support him in that,” Swinney said. “All I can tell you is all three of the guys we’ve got, I believe in. I’d have no problem with any of those guys running out there.”
The backup quarterback job will arguably be more important than ever during the 2020 season.
In addition to injuries being a concern, coronavirus protocol could cause players to miss time as well, whether it be for a player testing positive for COVID-19 or being in close contact with someone who tested positive.
Swinney said Tuesday that “there will definitely be some guys not available, every week, for every team.”
If Lawrence were to miss time, Clemson’s backup quarterbacks have played 43 snaps combined.
Phommachanh (pronounced PUMA-chon) played 43 snaps over three games last season, while Uiagalelei (pronounced ooh-ee-AHN-guh-luh-lay) and freshman preferred walk-on Hunter Helms have never taken a college snap.
“We’ve gotta have guys ready to play,” Swinney said. “We’ve got to get Hunter Helms ready as well. He was a preferred walk-on that came in here. So we’ve got to develop as much depth at that position and get as much experience at that position as we can.”
Uiagalelei is the biggest name of the group as a former five-star recruit and the top-ranked pro-style quarterback in the country. But Phommachanh has been in Clemson’s system for a year and has improved by leaps and bounds from when he arrived on campus, by all accounts.
“Obviously Taisun got to play four games last year but still needs a lot of experience. D.J.’s just getting here. So we definitely hope to play as many of those guys as we can as often as we can,” Swinney said. “I do know who our starter’s going to be. If we get the opportunity to see who goes out there next then we’ll see who ole coach Street runs out there.”
Uiagalelei has received praise since arriving on campus with Swinney saying in the spring that his arm talent “makes Trevor look kind of normal.”
Swinney reiterated on Tuesday that Uiagalelei is on pace with where Lawrence and Deshaun Watson were their freshman seasons.
“Very similar. He’s just 250” pounds. Swinney said. “He’s just physically ahead of where those guys were. But from a mental standpoint he’s very, very similar.”
Clemson vs. Wake Forest game, TV details
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: Truist Field in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
TV: ABC
Line: Clemson by 32.5
