Clemson adds grad transfer quarterback

GREENVILLE, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - Clemson added some experience back to it’s quarterbacks room with the addition of grad transfer Paul Tyson.

The Tigers announced the Alabama and Arizona State quarterback’s addition during day one’s early signing day rollout on Twitter.

With freshman Cade Klubnik tabbed the starter after the ACC Championship, Swinney said Tyson is being added to essentially battle for the number two spot.

“I wasn’t looking for someone to come in here and be the starter,” said Swinney. “We think we have that but we needed a guy. You have Trent [Pearman] who hasn’t played, [Christopher Vizzina]’s just getting here and we’re going to let him compete and we’ll see how it all plays out.”

“Maybe Cade does what we think he can do and maybe it works out where we can play CV four games and hold him? I don’t know. We’ll have to see,” said Swinney. “Maybe CV wins the job. I don’t know. But we needed an older guy who’s been through a lot of game plans, a lot of practices.”

Tyson has certainly been through a lot of game planning and practice. He spent his first three seasons at Alabama playing in one game in his freshman year in 2019. He next saw the field his junior season when he served as the Tide’s holder and backup quarterback. He finished 10-of-16 passing for 150 yards in 14 games with Alabama.

He transferred to Arizona State last year where he appeared in one game against Northern Arizona. Following graduation, Tyson opted to enter the transfer portal as a grad transfer and according to Swinney, had plenty of other options. Ranging from several Group of 5 schools to an SEC program that said he would have a chance to compete for the starting job. He chose Clemson.

“We were going to wait till May [after spring ball] but it just kind of happened. It came about,” said Swinney. “Hamp Greene actually reached out, one of our players, Hamp Green reached out to me to let me know that Paul was in the portal and that he would be interested in talking.”

Greene is a junior wide receiver on the Clemson roster who is originally from Birmingham, Alabama. Same as Tyson.

“That’s how that came about,” said Swinney. “So I called him, had a conversation and asked him what he’s looking for. Talked about what we’re looking for and he came up here and decided to come.”

Tyson will provide a valuable role for the Tigers after quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei and Billy Wiles both entered the transfer portal following the ACC Championship. Swinney related Tyson’s value to current veteran quarterback Hunter Thompson’s.

“We need him to bring that veteran presence that Hunter brought for us,” said Swinney. “Really thankful we’ve got Hunter Johnson right now. I’ll tell you that. I’m really thankful we’ve got him. That’s kind of what we were looking for.”

“We were very honest with Paul,” explained Swinney. “But I think for him, he values who we are here and I think he’s also a guy that wants to coach at some point. I think he saw this as the best of both worlds for him. To be a great teammate, to be ready to help these young guys grow and mature. He’s seen a lot, he’s been around some great players and he’s been around some great coaches.”

“But also to further a foundation for what he wants his future to look like,” said Swinney. “We were just transparent in what we were looking for and the rest is history. To me I’m like, wow it’ll be pretty cool to help Bear Bryant’s great-grandson get into coaching one day and help him develop a little bit in that realm. That’d be pretty cool.”

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