Best Clemson football players: Modern-era Mount Rushmore

Already the second quarterback on the Clemson football Mount Rushmore (and, spoiler, not the last), Tajh Boyd has his name etched across the top of the record books in the history of the Tigers. Sure, he was a three-year starter but, when you consider the ultra-productive quarterbacks that have come through Death Valley, that he tops them all is quite the accomplishment.

After appearing and playing sporadically in seven games as a freshman, Boyd took over the offense in his sophomore 2011 season and made quite the impact. The Tigers went 6-7 the previous season but Boyd turned them around and had them at 10-4 and winning the ACC in his first season as the starter while he threw for 3,828 yards, 33 touchdowns and 12 interceptions and rushed for 218 yards and five scores.

Boyd led the Tigers to consecutive 11-2 campaigns over his final two years at the helm of the offense, throwing for over 3,800 yards in both years, averaging 35 passing touchdowns per year and also rushing for 10 touchdowns in each season and for a combined 914 yards as well. He was a juggernaut and a fun one to watch at that.

Ending his career with an Orange Bowl win over Ohio State to finish as the No. 8 team in the country, Boyd is the Clemson career leader in passing yards (11,904), passing touchdowns (107) and total offensive touchdowns (133). He lit a spark that fueled the flame for Clemson over the 2010s and that still burns to this day, which solidifies his spot on the Mount Rushmore.