Tait Reynolds is walking into his first start with one major break already on his side: North Carolina may be without Melkart Abou Jaoude.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported Saturday morning that Abou Jaoude is “dealing with a hand/wrist injury from the TCU game and had been listed as questionable” on Thursday’s ACC injury report. The update matters because Reynolds, the true freshman quarterback, was set to face Bill Belichick’s North Carolina defense in the ACC opener with the Tar Heels’ top edge presence looming. If Abou Jaoude does not play, Reynolds gets a little more breathing room in the pocket.
Abou Jaoude is not just another name on the injury report. Thamel noted that he “led the ACC in sacks per game last year and is UNC’s top defender.” That absence would remove the defender Clemson had to account for most on Saturday afternoon.
The other side of Clemson’s quarterback picture is less tidy. Christopher Vizzina, who started the first two games of the season before Reynolds took over after three series last week against Georgia Southern, has been downgraded from probable to questionable. He’s dealing with an elbow injury to his non-throwing hand, and he also looked especially erratic under center in Week 2.
Chapel Fowler of The State reported that if Vizzina is unable to go in relief of Reynolds, “it will be the fifth-year former walk-on Trent Pearman serving as Clemson's backup quarterback.”
That backup situation adds another layer of pressure on Reynolds, even with Abou Jaoude potentially out. Clemson’s offense has had trouble scoring, and if the game turns into the kind of tight one many expect, depth at quarterback suddenly becomes a real issue.
Still, the bigger swing in the matchup appears to be UNC’s defensive loss. Abou Jaoude being unavailable could matter even more than Vizzina’s status, especially with Clemson’s offensive line trying to find its footing.
Matt Luke’s front five has been one of the Tigers’ most disappointing units through two weeks. It was supposed to be a strength.
Instead, it has been the offense’s biggest problem.
That’s why Reynolds’ debut comes with both opportunity and risk. Dabo Swinney is putting his faith in a quarterback who is still very raw, but has the traits to win big for Clemson.
If Reynolds delivers right away, the Vizzina question may not matter much at all. But if this one gets messy, every little edge will matter.
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