Tait Reynolds has the perfect attitude to jumpstart Dabo Swinney's second Clemson act

It is the dawn of a new era for Clemson football, well, sort of... True freshman Tait Reynolds will be making his first career start for the Tigers on Saturday afternoon versus the North Carolina Tar Heels. While this may be a must-win for head coach Dabo Swinney in some capacities, there does seem to be a beacon of light emanating from everything that Reynolds says and does. He could be special.

"What do I want Clemson fans to know about me? Every day, every second of the day, I'm just trying to be my best," Reynolds said on Wednesday. "I work hard, and I just get after it. It's really everything I do. Everything I do, I just try to be an amazing disciple of Christ, and above that, I just try to play football, just like Coach Swinney and everybody says, 'How you do anything is how you do everything.'"

In that short, 30-second response, Reynolds showed he is an authentic person, while also being in line with Swinney's kind of guys. He may only be a true freshman, but Reynolds looks to be the type of leader that Clemson needs to jumpstart its second act under Swinney. Yes, you can teach an old dog new tricks, but you need to have the right kind of reinforcement and an ideal voice to get them there.

Tait Reynolds feels mature beyond his years ahead of first Clemson start

Football is a gladiator sport. It is a game defined by injuries. It is not if you will get hurt playing it, but a matter of when. This is why having the right on-field leader is so important for a team. For as good as Christopher Vizzina was at the podium, Reynolds seems to be just as good in front of a microphone, albeit three years behind him in school. His physical gifts and even-keeled demeanor shall serve him.

While his athletic prowess presents itself every time you watch him play, his calm, cool, and collected nature above the shoulders may elevate him even more. After all, he is a former high school baseball star. Baseball is one of those games where you cannot will yourself victory. You have to let the game come to you. It is a game defined by failure. Those who handle it the best usually win the most games.

Frankly, Clemson has needed a guy like this running its offense for quite some time. Reynolds was not overly enamored with how many stars were next to his name coming out of high school. He was too busy trying to find ways to get better every day. This is why when he says he has put in the work, he means it. How else would he have beaten out Vizzina for the starting quarterback job in two weeks?

All in all, Reynolds feels like an incredibly easy player to root for. He does not seem to be enamored with the increasing amount of glitz and glamor plaguing our sport. He may be a West Coast kid and the son of a former athlete, but Reynolds has the right blue-collar ethos to connect with people in the Southland. As long as he gets better with every passing rep, he may be Swinney's Clemson savior.

Only time will tell how good Reynolds can be for Clemson, but he clearly does possess that "it" factor.

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