Taisun Phommachanh provides Georgia Tech with intriguing QB battle ahead of crucial season for Geoff Collins

The quarterback competitors at Georgia Tech obtained some intrigue on Monday night time, when former Clemson quarterback Taisun Phommachanh introduced his dedication to the Yellow Jackets as a switch. A former four-star prospect from the category of 2019, Phommachanh appeared in 12 video games throughout three seasons with the Tigers whereas serving as a backup to Trevor Lawrence and D.J. Uiagalelei.

Phommachanh might present a spark to a Georgia Tech program in the hunt for a jolt below fourth-year coach Geoff Collins. He accomplished 22 of 48 passes for 204 yards, one landing and three interceptions throughout his profession at Clemson and likewise rushed 30 occasions for 150 yards. The Connecticut native ought to have no less than two seasons of eligibility remaining with the Yellow Jackets. 

Whereas his profession statistics are underwhelming, Phommachanh confronted hurdles to productiveness at Clemson as a result of expertise within the quarterback room and likewise due to an Achilles harm he suffered within the 2021 spring recreation. At Georgia Tech, he’ll nonetheless face stiff competitors to win the beginning job however at a time when the place is unsettled.

Redshirt sophomore Jeff Sims is the incumbent quarterback at Georgia Tech after flashing a mixture of expertise and inconsistency in two seasons. In 2021, Sims cut up reps with Jordan Yates, who has since transferred to Sam Houston. Along with Sims, Phommachanh will even must compete with redshirt sophomore Zach Gibson, an Akron switch from the Atlanta space who confirmed promise with the Zips final season whereas throwing 10 touchdowns and no interceptions.

Phommachanh has the least enjoying expertise among the many trio, however he was the No. 4-ranked dual-threat quarterback in his recruiting class, in accordance with the 247Sports Composite. If he had been to win the beginning job throughout preseason apply, his first begin would come in opposition to his previous workforce as Georgia Tech is scheduled to start the season in opposition to Clemson on Sept. 5.

Georgia Tech in search of solutions

Georgia Tech is 9-25 to date below Collins, who was tasked with transitioning this system away from the option-based offense it ran for 11 seasons below former coach Paul Johnson. Although progress was anticipated to be sluggish as Collins transitioned the roster to suit a extra commonplace offensive scheme, the 2021 season can be massive for the previous Temple coach.

He introduced in former Notre Dame offensive coordinator Chip Lengthy and landed a former 1,000-yard rusher in Dylan McDuffie to assist mitigate the lack of star operating again Jahmyr Gibbs to Alabama. However with a brutal nonconference schedule that features Georgia, Ole Miss and UCF, progress towards bowl eligibility can be a grind. By bringing in Phommachanh, Collins is leaving no stone unturned in his seek for quarterback productiveness.

Phommachanh’s rehab

Round this time final yr, Clemson’s quarterback depth turned a subject of offseason hypothesis after Phommachanh suffered an Achilles tear. After such a severe harm, it appeared unlikely that Phommachanh would be capable of problem Uiagalelei for the beginning job, and even be obtainable as a backup in 2021. However Phommachanh made a fast restoration that Clemson coach Dabo Swinney described as “a kind of miracles.”

Finally, Phommachanh was prepared for the beginning of the season and wound up enjoying some non-garbage snaps amid Uiagalelei’s struggles. Now that the harm is greater than a yr behind him, Phommachanh might be higher geared up to face up to the pains of Energy 5 soccer. If nothing else, he’ll get a contemporary begin with the Yellow Jackets, who all of the sudden have one of many nation’s extra intriguing quarterback battles to look at.