CLEMSON — When last season ended, many thought Chris Denson could possibly push Chris Vizzina for the starting quarterback job at Clemson in 2026. However, things have not quite played out that way.

After Denson rushed six times for 106 yards in the fourth quarter against Furman late last season, some were already anointing the left-handed signal caller as the guy. Make no mistake, Denson is electric with the ball in his hands, but what he can do in the passing game was still unknown after that performance.

Now that the Tigers are wrapping up spring practice, those questions are being answered. The fact that Denson did not appear until the start of the third quarter spoke volumes. Instead, it was true freshman Tait Reynolds running out as the backup to Vizzina.

Having missed most of his senior season in high school due to a hamstring injury, not many considered Reynolds a legitimate candidate to push for the starting spot. After completing 7-of-10 passes and showing off his dual-threat ability with a rushing touchdown in the spring game, head coach Dabo Swinney readily admitted that the freshman has a shot at pushing for the job.

“Absolutely, absolutely,” Swinney said after the spring game. “Ain’t nobody got lifetime contracts around here. Everybody has to prove it. Everybody has to show up. Everybody has to earn it.”

And it’s not because Vizzina has underperformed. That’s just how good Reynolds has been throughout the spring.

“CV did not do anything to back up, he has not done anything to back up,” Swinney added. “But Tait has done everything to move forward.”

When the spring began, Denson was running with the second team. By the time the Tigers returned from spring break, Reynolds had done more than enough to supplant him.

“There was a bunch of guys kind of battling for that second spot, and he cleared that. He came out of that smoke first, with that group,” Swinney said. “Now, he’s got a big summer ahead and he is just going to keep getting better.”

While Swinney firmly believes Reynolds is capable, surpassing Vizzina won’t be easy. The elder statesman of the Clemson quarterback room is coming out of the spring atop the depth chart for a reason.

“But I don’t think CV is going to go backwards,” Swinney said. “It will be a great, competitive summer and fall camp, and then you go play games. We don’t get three preseason games. All we can do is evaluate based on practice.”