CLEMSON — Reserve Clemson quarterback Chris Denson drew on his inner Michael Vick in the Tigers’ 45-10 blowout win over Furman.
Growing up as a left-handed quarterback, Denson always tried to mold his game after the former Virginia Tech and Atlanta Falcons standout.
“I was always a Vick fan growing up,” Denson said. “That is probably my one.”
During his first true action of the season on Saturday, the true freshman, who is actually redshirting this season, certainly showed some similarities to the dynamic Vick. That was particularly true when it comes to his playmaking ability in the running game, as he routinely made defenders miss while also showing a knack for running through contact.
When asked if he’d be alright being referred to as “Baby Vick,” Denson was all smiles.
“Ah…. Sure,” Denson said, grinning.
Denson, who was the fourth quarterback to play in the game for the Tigers, entered early in the fourth quarter. After picking up five yards on his first carry, Denson took off for a 50-yard gain on his second attempt.
“Grass. The open field… That is all I remember,” he said of the long run. “Credit to my offensive line. Everything worked out how it was supposed to.”
Denson scampered for 14 more on the very next play, setting up his first career touchdown pass, a 4-yarder to fellow true freshman Logan Brooking.
The true freshman didn’t let up on Clemson’s next possession, carrying the ball two more times for 37 yards, including an 11-yard scoring run, giving him a passing touchdown and a rushing touchdown on the night.
“It was an unreal feeling. I still don’t know how I feel about it,” Denson added. “A lot of emotions, a lot of emotions.”
Saturday wasn’t technically Denson’s first rep of the season. He was in for one play in the loss to SMU, a quarterback run that picked up just two yards.
For all intents and purposes, this was his first real action, and the southpaw took full advantage. While the coaches didn’t ask him to do much in the passing game, he was a perfect 4-for-4 through the air for 22 yards and the touchdown pass. It was in the running game that Denson made his presence felt, carrying the ball six times for 106 yards and another score.
It was a fantastic outing for a freshman quarterback who only had a small number of Power-4 offers coming out of high school. While some freshman signal callers struggle with having to sit and learn during their debut seasons, Denson has remained patient, biding his time and doing everything asked of him.
On Saturday, that patience paid off, with the true freshman giving the fan base a small glimpse of what the future could look like.
“I really don’t think it has been challenging at all,” Denson said. “It’s God’s timing. It has really grown my faith here. Especially Coach Swinney, he has kind of been helping us do that, growing in our faith. So, it was God’s timing and out of my hands.”
Photo by Bart Boatwright