In the 2026 offseason, 12 of the 17 ACC schools decided to roll with a transfer quarterback, or a former player of a different program, to begin the season. Clemson was one of those five schools, despite pushback for a new piece to be the successor to three-year starter Cade Klubnik.

Now, head coach Dabo Swinney is seeing the repercussions of doing so.

The Tigers’ loss to Virginia Tech at home this past weekend illuminates that. Clemson only amassed 27 passing yards in the first half, and although its defense did its job for the majority of the game, Swinney’s unit couldn’t string together enough plays to win a game-winning drive.

A lot of it falls on true freshman quarterback Tait Reynolds, who wasn’t even the starter at the start of the season. A lot falls on poor offensive line play, allowing Reynolds to be sacked four times.…