Dabo Swinney, Chad Morris Address Why Clemson Did Not Sign Transfer Quarterback

During the month of January, the quarterback position was one of note for those following the Clemson Tigers in the transfer portal, but it looks like that will not be the case.

Following Friday’s press conference involving the head coach Dabo Swinney and new offensive coordinator Chad Morris, much was covered about all of Clemson’s offseason actions thus far this season. One of them involved getting a player from elsewhere at that position, which the two acknowledged.

Swinney, a proponent for believing in the group that he has, says that it was his decision for why the Tigers didn’t do it. Not only was it a decision to keep current players on the roster, but the Clemson head coach believes that there’s faith in the room currently.

“If you take a quarterback, then you’re losing two, and I don’t want to lose the guys we got,” Swinney said. “I believe it. I think this is as talented a room as we’ve had in a long time.”

Morris’s son, Chandler, was the starting quarterback for the Virginia Cavaliers last season, allowing his father to have great knowledge from working with all of the players that he’s known over his coaching career. He reassures fans that there is potential within the four quarterbacks on campus.

“That’s what I’ve specialized in,” Morris said. “’ I’ve got a son as a quarterback, I know what it’s supposed to look like. It’s my job to develop these guys and put them on a path to develop them as we’ve watched previous quarterbacks play in this system.”

Then, Swinney listed out all of the standout qualities that he sees in his room. He starts with the favorite going into the offseason, Christopher Vizzina. He knows that he has waited his time, with Clemson only offering two quarterbacks in his class during the 2023 cycle.

That other quarterback was Arch Manning, Texas’s current starter.

“When a guy has done everything that’s been asked of you, you don’t think he could have gone to the portal? Absolutely,” he said. “This was a highly recruited kid who bought into the vision, who bought into the development process.”

Swinney says that backup Chris Denson has “tremendously improved”, giving Vizzina a run for his money in the starting spot.

As for the two incoming freshmen, Tait Reynolds and Brock Bradley, Swinney calls them “two of the best young, talented quarterbacks in the country.” Especially with Reynolds, who is also playing baseball in his time at Clemson, the qualities that he brings to the table are one-of-a-kind.

“I think Tait Reynolds is a unicorn,” he said. “I think this kid is so unique. He’s big, he’s strong, he can fly. He has a unique arm talent.”

The depth, as well as respecting seniority, are the reasons for no transfer quarterback this offseason, which Swinney is okay with. Morris is excited to get to work with this group, getting to know them over the last few weeks since he was hired.

“I think we’ve got an incredibly talented quarterback room,” he said. “I really feel that way. I know there’s teams across the country that love to have the talent in that room.”