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CLEMSON – Despite admitting to feeling outside pressure to bring in a quarterback from the transfer portal, Dabo Swinney believes Clemson football did something better.
The Tigers kept their guy from entering.
Clemson opened preseason practice for the 2026 season on Aug. 6 and senior Christopher Vizzina led the Tigers out as the apparent replacement for Cade Klubnik, who was picked in the fourth round of the NFL Draft by the New York Jets. Vizzina has been Clemson's No. 2 quarterback for two years.
"If (Vizzina) had gone in the portal, he would have been the greatest thing ever in the portal," Swinney said before heading out for practice. "Whoever got him would be writing all these great articles around how they got this great quarterback from Clemson. But he gets downplayed because he stayed. That's just the nature of this world we live in right now."
Clemson will head into the season ranked No. 23 in the US LBM Coaches Poll and was voted fourth in the ACC preseason poll.
Vizzina played five games in 2025 and was 45-of-71 (63.4 percent), throwing for 406 yards with four touchdowns and an interception.
"He's done everything he needs to do at this point to win the job," Swinney said. "But he also has a lot to prove. He's got the pole position. He just has to finish the race."
Swinney indicated that he expects freshmen Tait Reynolds and Brock Bradley to battle for the No. 2 job, and that Bradley is closer than some might expect.
Reynolds was a four-star recruit, No. 31 quarterback in the country, and No. 6 player in Arizona for the 2026 class. Bradley was a three-star, No. 107 quarterback and No. 80 overall in Alabama.
Swinney said he did not plan to add to Clemson's roster after a July 31 court ruling cleared the way for Class of 2022 players who did not redshirt or turn pro to get a fifth year of eligibility.
"Our roster is set," he said. "We play in 30 days. Ain't nobody coming to save us."
Clemson opens the season at LSU in Lane Kiffin's debut as Tigers coach on Sept. 5.
Sophomore Gideon Davidson will be the No. 1 running to start practice, Swinney said. Davidson in 2025 had 272 yards on 60 carries and was the No. 2 rusher, behind only Adam Randall.
"It starts with Gideon," Swinney said. "He's done a great job."
Todd Shanesy covers high school athletics for the Greenville News, Spartanburg Herald-Journal and Anderson Independent Mail in the USA TODAY Network. Contact him by email at [email protected]. Follow him on X, formerly called Twitter, at @ToddShanesySHJ.
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Dabo Swinney says Clemson QB Christopher Vizzina overlooked because he didn't transfer
Continue reading...
The Tigers kept their guy from entering.
Clemson opened preseason practice for the 2026 season on Aug. 6 and senior Christopher Vizzina led the Tigers out as the apparent replacement for Cade Klubnik, who was picked in the fourth round of the NFL Draft by the New York Jets. Vizzina has been Clemson's No. 2 quarterback for two years.
"If (Vizzina) had gone in the portal, he would have been the greatest thing ever in the portal," Swinney said before heading out for practice. "Whoever got him would be writing all these great articles around how they got this great quarterback from Clemson. But he gets downplayed because he stayed. That's just the nature of this world we live in right now."
Clemson will head into the season ranked No. 23 in the US LBM Coaches Poll and was voted fourth in the ACC preseason poll.
Vizzina played five games in 2025 and was 45-of-71 (63.4 percent), throwing for 406 yards with four touchdowns and an interception.
"He's done everything he needs to do at this point to win the job," Swinney said. "But he also has a lot to prove. He's got the pole position. He just has to finish the race."
Swinney indicated that he expects freshmen Tait Reynolds and Brock Bradley to battle for the No. 2 job, and that Bradley is closer than some might expect.
Reynolds was a four-star recruit, No. 31 quarterback in the country, and No. 6 player in Arizona for the 2026 class. Bradley was a three-star, No. 107 quarterback and No. 80 overall in Alabama.
Dabo Swinney says Clemson not adding any 2022 players
Swinney said he did not plan to add to Clemson's roster after a July 31 court ruling cleared the way for Class of 2022 players who did not redshirt or turn pro to get a fifth year of eligibility.
"Our roster is set," he said. "We play in 30 days. Ain't nobody coming to save us."
Clemson opens the season at LSU in Lane Kiffin's debut as Tigers coach on Sept. 5.
Gideon Davidson begins as No. 1 running back
Sophomore Gideon Davidson will be the No. 1 running to start practice, Swinney said. Davidson in 2025 had 272 yards on 60 carries and was the No. 2 rusher, behind only Adam Randall.
"It starts with Gideon," Swinney said. "He's done a great job."
Todd Shanesy covers high school athletics for the Greenville News, Spartanburg Herald-Journal and Anderson Independent Mail in the USA TODAY Network. Contact him by email at [email protected]. Follow him on X, formerly called Twitter, at @ToddShanesySHJ.
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Dabo Swinney says Clemson QB Christopher Vizzina overlooked because he didn't transfer
Continue reading...
