Swinney breaks down the play of his QBs, says Pearman has "always shown it"

Trent Pearman showed off what Dabo Swinney had seen all along.

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Sat Apr 06 17:53:43 GMT-04:00 2024

CLEMSON – Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney says that Trent Pearman didn’t win his awards by being lucky, and he wasn’t lucky in his performance in Saturday’s spring game.

Pearman, the Tigers’ third-string quarterback, put up the best numbers of any of the quarterbacks during Saturday’s 27-12 victory by the Orange. Pearman played quarterback for both teams and finished the day a combined 13-of-18 for 145 yards and a beautiful touchdown pass to Bryant Wesco. Pearman also led all rushers with 12 carries for 62 yards, including a 49-yard touchdown run.

Swinney said he was happy Clemson fans finally got to see Pearman in action.

“He's always shown it. Nobody just wants to believe you. He's one of the reasons we didn't go take another quarterback because we really believe in this kid,” Swinney said. “He's a two-time Gatorade Player of the Year. I mean, you don't get lucky and win back-to-back state championships. You've got to have something to you. He is a little undersized, got a good arm, not an elite arm, but he plays with good timing, great timing, and he has a really good understanding and just, again, a lot of moxie, a lot, a lot of gamesmanship to his game that comes naturally to him. He's been around it a long time and just has complete ownership of what we do. Very familiar to him with some things that he did in high school as well. I'm proud of him, and that's why we wanted to get him on both sides.”

Starter Cade Klubnik was 13-of-26 for 158 yards, and Swinney was asked what’s been different for Klubnik this spring.

“I think the game slowed down for him last year. You could tell that he just sometimes wasn't really paying attention to the situational stuff,” Swinney said. “Wants to make every play. One play today, 3rd-and-13, last year he's trying to get 14 yards somewhere and today 3rd-and-13 in plus territory. And maybe you get the first down, or maybe you get fourth and one or two when you put yourself in a go-for situation, or you add onto the field goal, whatever it may be. Those plays are huge, huge. And that's an area that I don't think he did a good job with, especially early in the first half of the season. It would drive you crazy. It's 2nd-and-10, and it was a real opportunity to make it 3rd-and-3, but he's trying to hold the ball to get it to wherever because he is just wired that way, and there's nothing wrong with checking that ball down.

“And so it was good to see. That's probably the biggest thing. I just think his awareness situationally has really improved, and I just think it's a product of the game that has slowed down from him. He's been through some battles. He's just got some experience, and he's kind of come out the other side bruised and scarred and calloused, and that's now he's got a little different perspective, and that's serving him well. So he's a great kid, he's a relentless worker and really, really talented. So I'm excited. I know he's going to go do what he needs to do this summer. I think he's 204 (pounds) and he'll probably come back around 210 or so. So he's just kind of transforming and maturing right before our eyes and think he's going to make a lot of big plays, have a lot of big wins before his time is up here at Clemson.”

Christopher Vizzina finished the day 14-of-25 for 108 yards and two interceptions, but Swinney said Vizzina had a good spring.

“Had a really good spring. Had a really, really good spring going. There are a couple of those plays he'd like to have back today,” Swinney said. “But a really good spring, and today was good for him. It was good for him. He's a big kid, got a big arm, he's very accurate with the ball and just proud of his development. Proud of what we were able to get done with him and made a lot of plays in the spring with his legs as well. And today was a good opportunity for him. It's been a while since he's played in a game, so that was really good for him.”