As Clemson prepares for the noise and atmosphere of a high-stakes season opener, offensive coordinator Chad Morris emphasized an internal focus for his quarterback room rather than dwelling on external pressure.
With young signal-callers facing hostile road environments, Morris noted that preparation centers on providing clear answers rather than trying to replicate the unsimulatable noise of the game.
“Yeah, I think you know. I think it goes back to worrying about the Clemson Tigers and worrying about fall camp, worrying about summer, worrying about fall camp. Then, as we get into the course of the season, you know, a lot of these guys have already been in those type of environments. I mean, you know, that’s, you know, that’s hard to practice because you can’t simulate that.
“But you know, so you just worry about yourself and you worry about just making sure you, as a coach, have prepared these young men, with every answer possible, that when they do get in those situations, that if something comes up that they feel comfortable to just, hey, look, coach, look at you and get to, you know, feel the feel the, you know, what’s next mentality and hey, what’s what’s our next answer? But yeah, I think we’re just worrying about us, worrying about focusing on one foot in front, other, and worrying about the Clemson Tigers in fall camp,” Morris explained.
Evaluating Freshmen Development
While Vizzina leads the depth chart entering camp, Morris addressed the adjustment curve for true freshman Tait Reynolds, who enrolled early after skipping his senior year of high school football.
Morris detailed how Reynolds used spring practices as a substitute for his missed high school senior season while adapting to the speed of college defenses.
“I think Tait is a tremendous talent. I think he’s, you know, coming through spring, being able to watch him grow and mature. One of the challenges he had during spring was just things would get to moving a little bit fast, and he would, you know, he would, you know, he may forget this or forget that, and just I had to slow some things down for him. But from an arm strength standpoint and a skill set, I mean, he has all that. It’s just again, you got to remember, this is a young man that didn’t play a senior year, but his senior year was really spring hall, and so watching him progress and grow, you know, I think he’s got a. I think he’s got a great future. I really do.”
Mastering System Terminology
In addition to physical traits, Morris praised the room’s overall adaptability regarding new offensive concepts and terminology. Pointing to returners like CV, Trent Pearman and Chris Denson, Morris expressed satisfaction with how seamlessly the group digested the playbook changes.
“Yeah, you know, CV was like all the quarterbacks, and I’m not just saying CB, but the guys that had been here in the past, especially you consider Trent Pearman, like CV, Denson, those guys were wide open to learning something. There some little carryover to things, but they were wide open, and it wasn’t.
“I didn’t think that there was any roadblock or anything that stood in the way of those guys struggling with our terminology, the way we do things. Matter of fact, they were wide open to it, excited about it. But yeah, they were- that was never an issue. Really, really didn’t even think about it. You know, it’s just kind of what you do. Back, you understand. You know, if you’re going to continue to play this game, you’re going to have to learn different things, and that makes you very versatile as a player as you grow in your career, because you’re able to learn different. Your ability to learn that is is true. Yeah, he did a great job with it.”
With system terminology in place and fall camp underway, Clemson turns its complete focus to internal development ahead of the kickoff.
