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CLEMSON — Christopher Vizzina is Clemson football's most experienced quarterback, and coach Dabo Swinney wants him to earn the right to be the team's starter in spring practice.
"I want to see him take it and run with it," Swinney said Feb. 25 during a news conference before the beginning of spring practice. "... He's been working toward this but really want to see him take command of the offense."
After spending three seasons as Cade Klubnik's backup, Vizzina is in the "pole position," Swinney said, meaning he is the frontrunner to be Clemson's starting quarterback in 2026.
Vizzina, a redshirt junior, will have to beat out Chris Denson, Trent Pearman and signees Brock Bradley and Tait Reynolds.
In 14 games and one start, Vizzina has completed 61% of his passes for 596 yards with four touchdowns and one interception and has rushed for 109 yards over 38 attempts. In his lone start in 2025, Vizzina completed 69% of his passes for 317 yards and three touchdowns in a 35-24 loss to SMU.
If Vizzina isn't Clemson's starter, Swinney is confident in the rest of his quarterbacks despite all combining for no starts. He doubled down on his optimism this offseason as Clemson did not pursue a transfer quarterback.
"We got a very dynamic, athletic group," Swinney said. "We got five guys that I believe can play quarterback at this level. We ain't always had that."
Swinney said quarterbacks won't be "live" this spring, meaning they won't be hit by defenders. Still, he added Clemson will create situations in practice to have a "sense of reality" for true game action.
All will have to learn new offensive coordinator Chad Morris' offense, too. He was hired as Clemson's offensive coordinator again in January to replace Garrett Riley, who was fired after three seasons. Morris last served as the team's offensive coordinator from 2011-14.
MORE: What Dabo Swinney said about NCAA tampering investigation, Ole Miss' Pete Golding
Swinney said wide receiver Tristan Smith is allowed to practice fully with Clemson during his eligibility lawsuit against the NCAA.
"Hopefully, it'll go his way, especially when you look around the country and you see some of the decisions that get made compared to his situation," Swinney said. "We'll just have to go through the process."
Smith filed a lawsuit against the NCAA on Jan. 21 to gain an extra year of eligibility. The judge requested a formal hearing, but the dates were moved from Feb. 3 to March 31 to now June 8.
Swinney said if Smith's lawsuit isn't successful, the wideout can enter the NFL Supplemental Draft or join Clemson's "Tiger Trust" program to graduate and train as a student-coach for the 2027 NFL Draft.
Smith transferred to Clemson in 2025, recording 24 catches for 239 yards and one touchdown in 13 games and four starts.
MORE: Grading Dabo Swinney's Clemson football offseason moves from tampering to Chad Morris
Swinney announced starting tight end Olsen Patt-Henry and Collin Sadler both will be out for all of spring practice. Patt-Henry suffered a patella tendon injury against Furman last season that required surgery, and Sadler had shoulder surgery before the Pinstripe Bowl.
Other than those two players, everyone will be available to fully practice or be limited. Among those is wide receiver Bryant Wesco Jr., who suffered a neck/back injury against SMU in October. Swinney said Wesco, who recorded 31 catches for 537 yards and one touchdown in 2025, will participate in everything except for live contact.
Some Clemson players are battling injuries but not long-term ones. Those include: linebacker Sammy Brown (wrist), cornerback Corian Gipson (hand), offensive linemen Brayden Jacobs (foot) and Elyjah Thurmon (shoulder), defensive linemen Makhi Williams-Lee (undisclosed) and Amare Adams (lower leg), and wide receivers T.J. Moore (lower body) and Cole Turner (lower body).
Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Clemson's Dabo Swinney on QB Christopher Vizzina in spring practice
Continue reading...
"I want to see him take it and run with it," Swinney said Feb. 25 during a news conference before the beginning of spring practice. "... He's been working toward this but really want to see him take command of the offense."
After spending three seasons as Cade Klubnik's backup, Vizzina is in the "pole position," Swinney said, meaning he is the frontrunner to be Clemson's starting quarterback in 2026.
Vizzina, a redshirt junior, will have to beat out Chris Denson, Trent Pearman and signees Brock Bradley and Tait Reynolds.
In 14 games and one start, Vizzina has completed 61% of his passes for 596 yards with four touchdowns and one interception and has rushed for 109 yards over 38 attempts. In his lone start in 2025, Vizzina completed 69% of his passes for 317 yards and three touchdowns in a 35-24 loss to SMU.
If Vizzina isn't Clemson's starter, Swinney is confident in the rest of his quarterbacks despite all combining for no starts. He doubled down on his optimism this offseason as Clemson did not pursue a transfer quarterback.
"We got a very dynamic, athletic group," Swinney said. "We got five guys that I believe can play quarterback at this level. We ain't always had that."
Swinney said quarterbacks won't be "live" this spring, meaning they won't be hit by defenders. Still, he added Clemson will create situations in practice to have a "sense of reality" for true game action.
All will have to learn new offensive coordinator Chad Morris' offense, too. He was hired as Clemson's offensive coordinator again in January to replace Garrett Riley, who was fired after three seasons. Morris last served as the team's offensive coordinator from 2011-14.
MORE: What Dabo Swinney said about NCAA tampering investigation, Ole Miss' Pete Golding
Is Tristan Smith practicing with Clemson during NCAA eligibility lawsuit?
Swinney said wide receiver Tristan Smith is allowed to practice fully with Clemson during his eligibility lawsuit against the NCAA.
"Hopefully, it'll go his way, especially when you look around the country and you see some of the decisions that get made compared to his situation," Swinney said. "We'll just have to go through the process."
Smith filed a lawsuit against the NCAA on Jan. 21 to gain an extra year of eligibility. The judge requested a formal hearing, but the dates were moved from Feb. 3 to March 31 to now June 8.
Swinney said if Smith's lawsuit isn't successful, the wideout can enter the NFL Supplemental Draft or join Clemson's "Tiger Trust" program to graduate and train as a student-coach for the 2027 NFL Draft.
Smith transferred to Clemson in 2025, recording 24 catches for 239 yards and one touchdown in 13 games and four starts.
MORE: Grading Dabo Swinney's Clemson football offseason moves from tampering to Chad Morris
Who will miss Clemson football spring practice
Swinney announced starting tight end Olsen Patt-Henry and Collin Sadler both will be out for all of spring practice. Patt-Henry suffered a patella tendon injury against Furman last season that required surgery, and Sadler had shoulder surgery before the Pinstripe Bowl.
Other than those two players, everyone will be available to fully practice or be limited. Among those is wide receiver Bryant Wesco Jr., who suffered a neck/back injury against SMU in October. Swinney said Wesco, who recorded 31 catches for 537 yards and one touchdown in 2025, will participate in everything except for live contact.
Some Clemson players are battling injuries but not long-term ones. Those include: linebacker Sammy Brown (wrist), cornerback Corian Gipson (hand), offensive linemen Brayden Jacobs (foot) and Elyjah Thurmon (shoulder), defensive linemen Makhi Williams-Lee (undisclosed) and Amare Adams (lower leg), and wide receivers T.J. Moore (lower body) and Cole Turner (lower body).
Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Clemson's Dabo Swinney on QB Christopher Vizzina in spring practice
Continue reading...
