A closer look at Clemson's quarterbacks, possible depth chart

Cade Klubnik enters the spring as the QB1.

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Wed Jan 11 07:00:05 GMT-04:00 2023

It’s never too early to take a peek at the potential depth chart.

The start of spring practice is still weeks away, and while the coaches are recruiting, Clemson’s players will be spending their early mornings in mat drills and with strength and conditioning coach Joey Batson and his staff. But that doesn't mean we can’t take an early look at each position group and how it’s likely to look heading into the spring.

We will start, as we always do, with the quarterbacks. Unlike some of the other position groups, all of Clemson’s quarterbacks will be on campus this spring. The quarterback room will look a lot different than it did in the fall – gone are former starter DJ Uiagalelei (Oregon St.) and backup Billy Wiles (Southern Miss). The Tigers added portal quarterback Paul Tyson (Alabama/Arizona St.) and big-time recruit Christopher Vizzina to a room that already includes Cade Klubnik, Hunter Helms, and Trent Pearman.

How will the depth chart shake out? It’s hard to guess how it will look in the spring. The coaches added portal quarterback Hunter Johnson last season, but he didn’t enroll until the summer and missed spring practice. Once he enrolled, it was Uiagalelei, Klubnik, and then Johnson. The coaches could follow a similar pattern – it will be important to get Vizzina quality reps early – and have him in the second spot.

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney says Vizzina is special.

"CV is a great, great player coming from Briarwood," Swinney said. "I mean, he's a big-time talent, a guy that we think can go play for anybody in the country. I mean, he is a special player. Big, strong, can make all the throws, can really run. He's coming from a great program."

Vizzina completed 561-of-865 passes for 7,220 yards and 59 touchdown passes in his prep career and also scored 29 rushing touchdowns, giving him 88 combined touchdowns rushing and passing for his career. He connected on 161-of-251 passes (64.1 percent) as a senior, totaling 1,828 yards and 16 scores, while also rushing for 341 yards and 11 scores. He had 2,169 yards of total offense in just nine games, but one of his best games of the year came against Pelham, Dabo Swinney’s alma mater, when he completed 22-of-27 passes for 274 yards and three touchdowns.

Of course, sitting atop the depth chart will be Klubnik, the rising sophomore. Klubnik started the final game of the season – the Orange Bowl loss to Tennessee – and completed 61-of-100 passes for 697 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions in 224 snaps over 10 games (one start). He also rushed 42 times for 139 yards and two touchdowns on the year.

However, I think it’s important to take note of Helms. Helms has three years of eligibility remaining. He enters 2023 having completed 14-of-25 passes for 135 yards and two scores in 48 snaps over five career games, and despite not playing last season, had offers to go elsewhere and possibly compete for a starting spot. But he’s stuck it out in Clemson and is a valuable voice and leader in the quarterback group, and I can see a scenario where he starts out the spring in either the second or third spot.

Tyson is the great-grandson of the legendary coach Bear Bryant. He started his career at Alabama before transferring to Arizona State last season but signed with Clemson on National Signing Day in December. He’s expected to lend a veteran presence to the young room.

"Paul Tyson is a guy that we recruited a little bit in high school," Swinney said. "One of the most prolific passers in the history of the state of Alabama coming out of high school. Three years in Tuscaloosa and then he spent this past year at Arizona State. And with Billy Wiles leaving, and obviously DJ leaving, we had a gap. So we needed to get a veteran guy."

Pearman is a walk-on who redshirted last season but put together an impressive resume in high school. Pearman was a two-time Gatorade Player of the Year in South Carolina and finished with a 24-0 career record as starting quarterback, completing 455-of-599 career passes for 6,555 yards and 80 touchdowns with an additional 476 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground. He helped guide Daniel High School to back-to-back Class 3A state titles, leading Daniel in 2020 to its first state title in 22 years and then leading the Lions to another state title in 2021. He led the state in passing yards (3,769), passing touchdowns (45) and completions (291) in posting a 14-0 record as a senior.