For Dabo Swinney, the Clemson quarterback script has come around again.
A veteran is in the mix with a freshman, and once more the freshman got the nod. This time it’s senior Christopher Vizzina and freshman Tait Reynolds, with Swinney naming Reynolds the starter for Saturday’s game against UNC. Vizzina is still available despite a minor injury.
That setup feels familiar because Clemson has lived through versions of it before. Trevor Lawrence arrived in 2018 and took over from Kelly Bryant, who had led the Tigers to the College Football Playoff the year before. Deshaun Watson had his own climb in 2014, rotating with senior Cole Stoudt before eventually taking over as a freshman.
More than 10 years later, Lawrence and Watson are on very different tracks, and Sunday in Jacksonville put that contrast on display.
The Jaguars rolled past Cleveland 34-10 in the season opener, and Lawrence looked completely at ease in his sixth NFL season. Coming off a 2025 AFC South title, he went 18 of 23 for 245 yards and four touchdowns, good for a career-best 150.6 passer rating.
"I think just the understanding of what we're doing and when certain plays go in, and I know what I'm looking for and what we're trying to get done," Lawrence said, referencing his comfort with the offense under second-year head coach and playcaller Liam Coen. "And if I don't, being able to communicate and ask the right questions."
That comfort showed up in one of the day’s cleanest throws. In the third quarter, Lawrence slid left and dropped a 32-yard touchdown to Jakobi Meyers, a play that carried a Clemson echo. It brought back Lawrence rolling left and finding Justyn Ross for a 25-yard score in Clemson’s 45-10 win over Louisville in 2019.
"It was awesome to get a win in week one, but just excited now," said Lawrence, who now has 100 touchdown passes. "We got a big challenge next week, and we got to turn the page and go put together another great game plan."
That next challenge comes Sunday in Denver.
Watson’s situation looked very different. The 10th-year veteran was making his first start since Oct. 20, 2024, with Cleveland entering a new era under head coach and playcaller Todd Monken. The night was rocky from the start: Watson threw an interception on the opening drive, finished 16 of 22 for 205 yards with one touchdown and one pick, and took five sacks in the Browns’ loss.
The result raised fresh questions about why Monken went with Watson over second-year quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
Monken wasn’t interested in pinning everything on his quarterback.
"First off, we'll analyze everything that we do. It's not just him, okay?
We're putting this on Deshaun, okay, which is unfair, okay?" stated Monken to the media after questions about Watson.
He also made clear that outside noise won’t drive his choices.
"And whatever there is externally doesn't matter to me," Monken said. "That doesn't affect me.
That has nothing to do with my decision making. Okay, my decision making is what's best for the Browns now and moving forward."
Watson said he’s focused on pushing ahead and not letting the criticism drag him down.
"I mean, just keep moving forward, keep stepping forward," Watson said. "You know, keep smiling, regardless of who's against me or who's with me. I think that's more beneficial for the team in that locker room."
He also said the locker room has backed him up after the loss.
"I've had a lot of support in that locker room after the game, telling me keep my head up, keep pushing forward, keep working," he said. "They're behind me, so that's always positive to see and hear."
Monken has already said Watson is expected to start Sunday at Tampa Bay.
In Other News...
Trevor Lawrence Just Raised Clemson's Quarterback Pressure Again
Trevor Lawrence opened his season in Jacksonville with the kind of sharp, efficient outing that reminds Clemson fans why he was such a rare college quarterback in the first place. He completed 18 of 23 passes for 245 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions, and even a former college opponent in Damien Harris singled out the performance while comparing it to the best of Lawrences Clemson days.
For Clemson, it is another reminder of how high the standard can get when a quarterback delivers on big expectations. The program has seen different kinds of trajectory at the position, from Tajh Boyds accomplished run to the growing buzz around Tait Reynolds, whose potential invites comparisons but not a straight line to Lawrences path. Each strong showing from Lawrence outside of Clemson only makes the internal conversation louder about what the Tigers want, and need, next under center. [Read more 🡒]
Clemson Just Sent A Clear Message Before Its ACC Opener
Clemson put out its second official depth chart ahead of its ACC opener against North Carolina, and the changes offer a clearer picture of where the Tigers stand entering conference play. The biggest wrinkle is at quarterback, where true freshman Tait Reynolds is listed ahead of Christopher Vizzina, while the defensive line also got a notable update with Devarrick Woods earning a stronger role after making the most of opportunities created by injuries around him.
The quarterback situation still carries some intrigue because Vizzina is reportedly week-to-week with an elbow injury, even though Dabo Swinney has framed the decision as performance-based rather than injury-based. Woods rise is less complicated and just as important for Clemsons front, since his play has pushed him into co-starter territory at defensive tackle and given the Tigers another sign that the rotation could look different once the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]
Clemson Suddenly Needs Vic Burley For A Much Bigger Reason
With Clemson moving toward its ACC opener against North Carolina, Vic Burley is back in the fold and the timing matters. Head coach Dabo Swinney reinstated the defensive lineman after a two-week suspension, giving the Tigers another body up front as they prepare for a conference game that already carries real weight for their standing in the league.
Burleys return also closes a difficult late-summer chapter for a player Clemson still needs on the field. Swinney said Burley owned the mistake and handled the consequences, and now the focus shifts to how quickly he can fold back into a rotation the Tigers will lean on more heavily as the schedule turns to conference play. [Read more 🡒]