Talking Tuesday: Dabo Swinney said Reynolds earned the QB1 job, but Vizzina will be ready if needed, and believes Tigers are better than you think they are (AUDIO)

CLEMSON: It hasn’t been a pretty start for Clemson, but head coach Dabo Swinney believes the Tigers are pretty close to being a good team, a team better than most people think they are after two games. The Tigers have struggled out of the gate offensively and have some ugly national rankings to show for it, and Swinney said paying closer attention to detail and doing the little things better is the fix.

The Tigers are 1-1 and will host North Carolina at Noon on Saturday. The Tar Heels are 2-0 in their second season under Bill Belichick, with wins over TCU and ETSU. They have allowed 13 points in their first two games. And their offense appears to have improved with free-agent signee Billy Edwards at quarterback, who is averaging 238 passing yards per game.

But Swinney said the Tar Heels will focus on running the football. They are averaging only 125 rushing yards per game thus far, but Swinney said new offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino will attempt to get the running game going against the Tigers.

As for his quarterback situation, Swinney said Tait Reynolds earned the right to start this week with his performance in the first two games, combined with where Christopher Vizzina fell short in his performance. Vizzina injured his left arm early in the Georgia Southern game, but Swinney said he is practicing and getting better each day and will be available to play this Saturday.

The Tigers will have defensive tackle Vic Burley back this week from a two-game suspension after his arrest August 22nd for public disorderly conduct. Swinney said Burley was contrite about his arrest and did pay a financial price for his actions, which he called stupid.

Clemson has won seven in a row over the Tar Heels and leads the alltime series 41-19-1. The Tigers won in Chapel Hill last season 38-10.

Key Comments from Swinney:

• Looking forward to this week and looking forward to playing their best game thus far.
• North Carolina is playing well collectively, QB has been around, smart kid, lots of respect for Petrino as an offensive coach, scheme, and calling plays and creating advantages for his players.
• Shipp is one of the best receivers in the league, the tight end is a problem, they will do a lot of pistol, play action, boots, stretch, get on the edge, have to prepare for a lot when facing a Petrino offense.
• North Carolina identity on offense is they want to run the football, they have three downhill running backs, got the stop the run, and Clemson did a good job with that last weekend.
• Vizzina is practicing, getting better each day, will have to wear a brace on the left elbow, hasn’t lost faith in Vizzina, feels they can win with either quarterback.
• After two games, just feels Reynolds has moved ahead of Vizzina, decision needed to be made, Vizzina didn’t make the routine plays he needed to, new coming in Reynolds was special and has a bright future, getting most of the reps this week will help him.
• They are a lot closer than you think; they just need to clean up the little things, the reward is coming if they become a little more precise at every position.
• For Reynolds, needs to make better decisions in the run game is number one, and then staying disciplined in the process and doing the little details cleanly.
• Confident that if they had to go to a number two quarterback, Vizzina could play; going off of what the doctors have told him, Vizzina will be fine and available.
• Vic Burley deserved to come back. “I’m not going to kick him off because he’s stupid. He took ownership of it.” He has other things going on off the field, and they’re trying to help him through it, he didn’t run away from it, cost him some money, too.
• Kourtney Kelly is getting better, and will be back sooner than later.
• This UNC team is much better from a fundamental and performance standpoint than last season, and that’s a credit to Belechick, it’s an honor to coach against him.
• Can’t believe they aren’t ranked 138th in third-down conversion, not doing the routine stuff well, not taking advantage of what’s available, they are against the chains all the time because they’re not doing routine things well.
• UNC tight end Jelani Thurman is a problem, need to know where he is on every play.
• Reynolds is physically gifted along the lines of a Tebow, who he recruited. Not comparing the two as players, just saying he’s athletically gifted like Tebow.

Dabo Swinney Press Conference Previewing North Carolina