CLEMSON – Saturday’s forecast in Clemson calls for sunny skies, warm weather, and a chance for up to five quarterbacks to showcase their skills at the annual Orange & White Spring Game at Memorial Stadium.

While Clemson is several months away from opening its season against LSU in September, and has not named a starting signal-caller, head coach Chad Morris has several benchmarks that he hopes to see from the quarterbacks on Saturday.

“Just commanding the offense and dealing with adversity, because there’s going to be adversity Saturday,” Morris said of his desires after spring practice on Wednesday.

The lineup of offensive “commanders” will be led by Christopher Vizzina, a rising redshirt junior who has the “pole position” for the starting job this spring, according to head coach Dabo Swinney. Vizzina, a Birmingham, Ala., native, is the only quarterback with starting experience, as he led the Tigers against SMU last season when starter Cade Klubnik suffered an ankle injury.

“CV has definitely been one of those, just being able to show just his comfort level,” Morris said of the upperclassman. “I’ve been really impressed with how he’s progressed, as the whole team has offensively.”

The group will also showcase former walk-on Trent Pearman, who went 13-for-18 with 134 yards in the Spring Game two years ago, along with rising redshirt freshman Chris Denson, who most recently completed 4-for-4 passes against Furman last November, while running for over 100 yards and scoring two touchdowns.

“(Denson’s) been a guy that’s gotten better,” Morris said. “He feels a little bit more comfortable it seems like in every practice. His comfort level is improving.”

Tiger fans will also get their first glimpses at a pair of true freshmen quarterbacks in Tait Reynolds and Brock Bradley on Saturday, as the duo will have their first opportunity to play in front of an orange-clad crowd after leaving high school mere months ago.

Reynolds was recently seen getting reps with the second team in this week’s media viewing window.

But no matter who is lining up under center for the Orange or White teams Saturday, Morris’ priority remains the same. In the veteran coach’s first spring back with the Tigers, the goal is, above all, for the quarterbacks to feel comfortable running the offense.

After Clemson’s offensive players have “drank from a fire hose” for the last four weeks learning Morris’ scheme, they now have a chance to show it off for the Clemson faithful. Despite an imminent crowd, game-day theatrics, and higher stakes, the primary goal for Saturday is to master the basics.

“We’re still going to run our offense,” Morris said. “But getting us in the right calls and the right protections. I want to make sure that some of the procedural things that happened need to be cleaned up from the last time we scrimmaged over there.”

After the scrimmage on March 11, there was still lots of improvement that needed to be made from the signal-callers, according to Swinney.

“Nobody was great, but again, you can only do your part,” Swinney said. “You can only play quarterback, you can only do your part. You can’t do it by yourself. You can’t play left guard, you can’t play left tackle, you can’t run the right route, you can’t catch the ball.”

With an extra week of practice and a week off under their belts, Clemson’s quarterbacks are only days away from getting their next shot at a successful scrimmage, and many are a few plays away from cementing a first impression on Tiger fans. 

Clemson fans can make their own judgments of Morris’ offense, the quarterbacks, and much more Saturday, with the Orange & White Spring Game at Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. and admission is free.