Georgia Tech Transfer Profile: Taisun Phommachanh
Georgia Tech was one of the most active teams in the transfer portal this offseason and was looking to upgrade at nearly every position. Head coach Geoff Collins is hoping that these new additions can make an impact and finally produce the winning culture that he is striving for.
One of those transfers is former Clemson quarterback Taisun Phommachanh. Phommachanh was the backup quarterback for the Tigers last season and played sparingly during his time in Death Valley. He is expected to come in and push Jeff Sims for the starting job and that is not something that Sims has had to deal with during his time on the Flats.
Going back to his days as a high school recruit, Phommachanh was rated a four-star dual-threat quarterback coming out of Bridgeport, CT. He has the size to be a factor in the running game (6-3, 227 LBS) and Clemson did use him in that role some, but sparingly.
His career stats at Clemson are spare, but that is due to little playing time. In 2019, he completed 6 of 12 passes for 56 yards and one interception while rushing for 56 yards also. For 2020, Phommachanh was 5-17 for 17 yards and an interception and chipping in 25 yards on the ground. Last season, he threw for 131 yards on 11-19 passing and had 69 yards rushing with one touchdown.
His physical skill set is what is intriguing about him in this quarterback competition. He is around 10-15 LBS heavier than Sims and could be used in designed runs. Sims has been solid as a runner while with the Yellow Jackets, but Phommachanh could be a more physical player.
As far as passing goes, there is still a lot to be desired. However, the physical tools are there and he has a strong arm. He compares physically to former Notre Dame quarterback Brandon Wimbush, who was the quarterback when Georgia Tech offensive coordinator Chip Long was calling the plays for the Fighting Irish. Wimbush was a gifted athlete that could run and had a strong arm as well, but struggled with accuracy.
If nothing else, Phomamachanh will give competition to Sims and push him this season. He is going to get more opportunities than he was going to find while at Clemson and if Long coaches him up, it could make a big difference in improving the Yellow Jackets' offense. He is still inexperienced as a starter, so it is hard to appropriately set the expectations for Phommachanh.
Look for there to be a real quarterback competition this fall and for Phommachanh to be in the thick of it for Georgia Tech. He could end up being the most impactful transfers for the Yellow Jackets this season.
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