CLEMSON — Clemson will start a different quarterback in Week 3 when the Tigers host North Carolina Saturday at Memorial Stadium.

Head coach Dabo Swinney named freshman Tait Reynolds as his starter for the Week 3 showdown during his conference call with the media on Sunday. He then confirmed Reynolds earned the start based on his performance in the Tigers’ 22-7 win over Georgia Southern last Saturday night and not because senior Christopher Vizzina is banged up.

Swinney said Vizzina will be available to play against the Tar Heels.

“It’s (based) on how they played,” the Clemson coach said. “We just feel, based on opportunity, mistakes and body of work, Tait has earned the opportunity to start.”

Reynolds completed 16 of 27 passes for 178 yards, and also ran for 36 yards in the victory over Georgia Southern. He led the Tigers on five for their six scoring drives after coming into the game. The freshman completed 12 of 17 passes for 160 yards in the first half. He also ran nine times for 32 yards after replacing Vizzina in the first quarter.

Vizzina ran the first three series of the game before Swinney and offensive coordinator Chad Morris proceeded with their plan to let Reynolds run the fourth series.

“We were going to put Tait in for the fourth series and then go from there,” Swinney said. “I think he went a couple. Maybe he went two or three, and we were going to put CV back in and that is when he told us he really could not feel his left arm.”

Swinney was asked if he sees Reynolds as a long-term starter or will this be a week-to-week competition between the two quarterbacks.

“All I can tell you is he has played well enough and did enough stuff (to earn it), and then CV did some things that he needs to be better at,” Swinney said. “The interception just can’t happen. The play was well designed and were it needed to be. He missed a play down in the red zone, just some things, it was just their body of work.

“We have been letting them compete and to play a couple of games and based on what we saw in the (Georgia Southern) game, Tait earned the opportunity to start this week. So, that’s where we are.”

Though Reynolds earned the right to start against North Carolina, it does not mean he was perfect in the win over the Eagles. Far from it, according to Swinney.

“Just the basic routine stuff,” Swinney said. “Obviously, he missed some pulls, and they were doing some stuff that was funky on the backend and taking some chances and stuff. There were some things that he will learn from as he sees it on tape. It was some basic routine stuff operationally, making sure the ride is what it is supposed to be. His foot work, getting the ball to his playmakers, getting the ball to the right spot, eyes on the right things and then just settling in.

“I think if he did that then the game will just slow down. We had a delay of game, just some process stuff that he will get better and better as he plays. Man, he made some big-time plays.”

Those plays were a 45-yard completion to T.J. Moore to set up a Nolan Hauser field goal, and then a 20-yard pass to Tyler Brown to keep a drive alive right before halftime that led to another Hauser field goal.

“The throw to T.J. [Moore], the throw to Tyler Brown, he made a couple of plays with his legs. Down on the goal line, he could have thrown a touchdown to (Christian) Bentancur or Tyler Brown. It was wide open. He read it outside in, instead of inside out, it is just some basic stuff that you coach him up,” Swinney said. “As he plays, because again he is a hard worker, he is going to get better and better for sure.

“He will see it on tape because he got fooled a couple of times because his eyes weren’t where they need to be and he missed a couple of opportunities for some some shots. So there are several things he needs to clean up and it is our job to make sure we do that.”