On Tuesday, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney provided further clarity on the team’s ongoing quarterback situation and how senior Christopher Vizzina’s Week 2 injury impacted the Tigers’ plans at the position.

Swinney said there “definitely” would have been an ongoing QB competition between Vizzina and freshman Tait Reynolds, if Vizzina hadn’t suffered a left elbow injury early in the second game of the season vs. Georgia Southern.

“I think there definitely would have been a battle,” Swinney said.

Swinney says the coaching staff initially wanted to let the QB battle play out on the field, but Vizzina’s injury forced him out of action entirely and then limited him to being an emergency-only option for some time.

“My point is, we thought we would have both of those guys and it would be a little different process as we’ve gone, and then it would maybe happen in a different way,” Swinney said. “Either CV really solidifies himself, or Tait keeps coming, or vice versa. But we were kind of forced into the situation we were in.”

After Vizzina started each of the first two games this season, Reynolds took over Clemson’s QB1 job ahead of the Week 3 matchup vs. North Carolina following Vizzina’s injury and the struggles he experienced when he was able to play. Swinney said before the UNC game that Reynolds earned the job based on his performance in the Tigers’ win over Georgia Southern a week earlier and not because Vizzina got injured in that game.

While Vizzina has made a lot of progress in his recovery, he has yet to see any game action since suffering the injury.

On Tuesday, Swinney reiterated that Reynolds is the starter and has “earned that opportunity,” but noted that the first-year signal-caller knows “he’s gotta go play well” moving forward.

With Vizzina finally getting close to full health now, Swinney was asked if he can push Reynolds for playing time down the stretch of the season.

“Yeah, he’s back now. I mean, we’ll see,” Swinney said. “Same thing, everybody’s got a job to do. But Tait’s the starter. He’s earned that opportunity. He’s done a lot of good things. But he’s gotta go play well.

“If something changes, you’ll be the first one to know. You’ll see it. But we are where we are right now. But it’s good to get CV back. And again, I’d say [Vizzina is] still not 100%, but he’s the closest he’s been. I thought he got off to a good start last week, and he’s just gotten a little bit better. So, it’s good to have him back where he can compete.”

Vizzina competed 14-of-23 passes (60.9%) for 102 yards with one touchdown pass and two interceptions across his two starts this season.

Reynolds has appeared in all seven games this season, starting the last five, and has completed 120-of-180 passes (66.7%) for 1,096 yards with one touchdown pass and three interceptions, while also rushing for 164 yards and a touchdown.

Clemson’s QB situation will certainly be something to watch over the Tigers’ final five regular season games, beginning with Saturday’s road matchup against Florida State (7 p.m., ACC Network).