Clemson QB Coach Tajh Boyd Gives Perspective on Quarterback Competition

The former Clemson standout at the position shares his experience with how the Tigers are looking at the position, which is between two for the starting job.

Tajh Boyd became Clemson's quarterbacks coach during the offseason. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

When there’s a quarterback battle going on, one tends to look back to former players in similar situations for help. Fortunately, the Clemson Tigers already have one on staff. 

Former Tiger standout Tajh Boyd is now the program’s quarterbacks coach, having been promoted during this offseason. He’s been at the forefront of Clemson’s battle at the position, which is between redshirt junior Christopher Vizzina and true freshman Tait Reynolds. 

But there isn’t any bad blood between the two, nor any of the quarterback room. In fact, the camaraderie is what caught Boyd’s eye. 

“One of the things that I love so much about the room right now is how they complement each other,” he said during Clemson football’s media day. “I think the uniqueness of it all is being able to coach it and have played it.”

Boyd has been part of a quarterback battle himself, competing with Kyle Parker back in 2010 for the starting role. Although the Clemson great came out on the wrong side of it, it still provided experience for the young player at the stage of his career he was in. 

He does make an important point, however: there can’t ever be more than one quarterback on the field, in theory. So, everybody in the room needs to constantly take reps off the field while one does the work on the gridiron. 

“So, one guy’s out there; we should all be taking notes,” Boyd said. “We should all be taking the mental reps. We should all be learning; when we come back to the sideline, we’ll talk about it and address it collectively.”

The Clemson standout also said that the room needs to be together, and with leaders like Vizzina in the room, that hasn’t gone away as fall camp approaches in a few weeks. 

Boyd sees reasons for both Vizzina and Reynolds to be the starter next season. For the elder quarterback in Vizzina, the coach knows what goes on when players are on the sideline for a few years. The redshirt had to do that with Cade Klubnik for three seasons. 

“He’s grabbed it by the horns; he really has,” Boyd said. “Super proud of CV, and it’s a hard thing, you know what I mean? You’ve been sitting, waiting in the wings for a little while now, and he has had opportunities, like a lot of guys during the offseason, to think about what could happen.”

While applauding that he returned, he’s proud of Vizzina remaining consistent in how he goes about his work. With Reynolds, it’s the edge that he brings when it comes to fighting for a starting job. It’s pushed both Boyd, himself and Vizzina all at the same time. 

“Tait is just hyper-competitive,” he said. “Obviously, his physique looks one way, but his mental matches, and he’s a guy who just loves to compete, loves everything about it, and so you love that.”

Yet, it’s not in a way that will hurt anybody’s chemistry. 

“It’s been super competitive,” Boyd said, “but yet it’s been complimentary, and those guys all have an appreciation for each other.” 

The consensus among the coaching staff is that Clemson doesn’t have a clear winner in the competition just yet. Vizzina is leading, but Reynolds is right behind him. Generally, however, fall camp brings sharpened skillsets and improvements from the spring. 

Just take it from Boyd, who looks forward to seeing who stands out more in August. 

“When they’re out there with us, that’s what’s required,” he said. “But, it’s when they’re on their own time that the separation occurs, and so excited to see where they’ve gone, where they’ve grown since spring ball and excited for fall camp.”