Taisun Phommachanh Has Big Shoes To Fill At Clemson

Clemson doesn't have veteran depth in its quarterback room currently, so the Tigers will look to Taisun Phommachanh to put it all together on the field this season.

The redshirt sophomore enters 2021 having completed 11-of-29 passes for 73 yards and having rushed for 81 yards on 19 carries in 86 snaps over seven games.

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said he's pleased with the quarterback's progress so far.

"I thought he made some nice plays, was active," Swinney said, per SI.now. "We've really challenged him because he's gonna be critical to our success this year. And I like where he's at from an overall development standpoint and mindset."

Last season, the third-year quarterback completed 5-of-17 passes for 17 yards and rushed seven times for 25 yards in 43 snaps over four games.

Swinney detailed how important this spring is for Phommachanh, who needs to be ready to step in and lead the Tigers to victory on any given day.

"Taisun Phommachanh, he's a guy that that man, he needs to not just be ready to play, he needs to be ready to win the game," Swinney said. "And really want him to really prepare and think as a starter. That's something I wanna see, that type of urgency from him. He missed some practice in the first half, so I think this is a very critical time for him, this next couple of weeks."

Clemson's QB Room

Along with Phommachanh, sophomore D.J. Uiagalelei returns in 2021 following an impressive true freshman campaign in which he completed 78-of-117 passes for 914 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions. He took 235 snaps in 10 games with two starts.

He was also credited with 28 carries for 60 yards and four rushing touchdowns during his true freshman season.

There's also redshirt freshman Hunter Helms who enters 2021 having completed 9-of-12 passes for 77 yards and two scores in 22 snaps over three games. The walk-on Tiger previously played at Georgia Tech where he impressed with a two-touchdown performance as a true freshman in 2020.

The Tigers will soon have Bubba Chandler, a pitcher on the Clemson baseball team and a QB. The two-sport athlete will join the Tigers for the 2021 season as a true freshman.

Chandler will have some competition on the mound and in the QB room with true freshman Will Taylor, who is also expected to play football and baseball at Clemson this fall.