Clemson played its annual spring game on Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium. With fresh faces taking the field, many stood out, leaving fans wondering what the next season will bring for this new team. Even with limited time on the field, talent was showcased.
Orange team standouts
Christopher Vizzina — quarterback
Vizzina demonstrated a strong command of the offense. The sophomore consistently extended drives with short, intermediate throws. He demonstrated consistent decision-making and took what the defense gave him; most saw him as the most reliable quarterback on the field.
“CV had a good day today. And again, he’s had freshmen out there with him, but he got better. He had a good spring. He still has work to do. He’s got a long way to go,” head coach Dabo Swinney said about his young gunslinger.
Gideon Davidson — running back
Freshman Davidson had the biggest run of the game with 35 yards and was one of the most explosive players in the contest. With his eruptive running, Davidson finished with 80 yards on nine carries.
Christian Bentancur — wide receiver, tight end
Bentancur came out with four catches for 45 yards and multiple key first-down catches for his team. The freshman worked the middle of the field effectively with his physical presence.
David Eziomume — running back
Eziomume helped extend drives and was efficient in limited touches, finishing with three carries for 19 yards and showcasing himself as a solid rotational back.
Trent Pearman — quarterback
Junior Pearman showed up with a touchdown and 34 yards. Swinney certainly liked what he saw from his backup quarterback.
“Trent is, Trent is gonna be, Trent’s gonna be ready whenever we need him. You know, he’s a very steady kid, smart as crap. He’s very productive. You know, he, we know what we got in him, and we’re very confident in him,” Swinney said.
White team standouts
Tait Reynolds — quarterback
Reynolds showed up and out in the White team’s only touchdown, recording 37 passing yards and a rushing touchdown. Efficient passing and potential were showcased, and the coach noticed that.
“But Tait, Tait, you know we made that decision after the break,” Swinney said. “He just clearly (is) No. 2. And just was separated. And so I’ve been really proud of him. He’s done a lot of work. He’s got an elite arm talent.”
Juju Preston — wide receiver
Freshman Preston had a perfect catch rate, proving himself a reliable short-yardage option and the most dependable White team receiver.
“I felt spring was very productive for both sides of the ball, you know, and it showed up today,” he said in his postgame press conference. “Everybody was committed, and all in, I’ve seen the extra work being put in on and off the field.”
Clark Sanderson — wide receiver
Sanderson made key first-down catches in this game. With limited touches, he was efficient, gaining 13 yards.
Jarvis Green — running back
Sophomore Green contributed as a receiver, but couldn’t get much going with the defensive pressure. On five carries, he gained 15 yards.
Swinney’s spring statement
Swinney shared an opening statement following the game, providing immediate takeaways.
“Fun spring, productive, that would be the word I would use, a very productive spring,” said Swinney. “A long way to go, a lot of work to do, but it was still very productive. This will be a fun tape to watch cause ya know, it was fun to kind of split them up, and guys have to start multiple starters and see some matches for a lot of reasons.”
“Self-awareness for some guys, as we go into our player meetings and things like that, to be able to encourage them from a confidence standpoint because they really matched up well, or expose them a little bit and what they’ve got to do to get better,” he continued. “But it was a fun day, really appreciate our crowd.”
