Clemson Tigers Backup QB "Did a Lot of Good Things" in First Collegiate Start

The Clemson Tigers’ chances to win on Saturday afternoon got slimmer after starting quarterback Cade Klubnik was reported out with an injury.

Backup Christopher Vizzina not only played above expectations, he helped keep Clemson in the game with key plays, proving his worth for the team’s future.

Head coach Dabo Swinney says that the team has seen the flashes that Vizzina showed on Saturday afternoon in the 35-24 loss to SMU throughout his time at the school, he just hasn’t had the chance to show it yet. It’s been Klubnik who has taken the reins of the offense, and he started every game that Vizzina has been at the school.

“He got an opportunity to go play and did a good job. He did a lot of good things,” Swinney said. “We’ve seen a lot in practice, and he just hasn’t had a ton of opportunity.”

While a quarterback depth chart could fuel a heated competition, that’s not the relationship that Vizzina and Klubnik had. Despite being in street clothes, Klubnik constantly was helping Vizzina on the sidelines throughout the game, helping the Birmingham, Alabama, native come into his own over the final three quarters of the game.

“He’s been there all week,” Vizzina said after the game. “I really appreciate him for just the teammate he is and the person that he is. I know he hates not to be out there, but his leadership still showed, even though he wasn’t going out there. Anything I needed all week, he was there for me, and I think that just shows the relationship that we have.”

The redshirt sophomore finished with 317 passing yards and three touchdowns, all efforts that showcased a strong arm and a strong connection with receivers T.J. Moore and Tristan Smith.

Vizzina said that offensive coordinator Garrett Riley challenged him the entire game to “use the momentum we had” after touchdown drives.

“As the game went on, we started playing a lot better offensively,” Vizzina said. “But, he just stayed on my butt about leading and making plays.”

The quality of the reciever room as well helped make his job easier. Vizzina spoke highly of the room, calling it No. 1 in the country.

“I think we got the best receivers in the country, and I hate that some of these games turn out this way with the talent that we have, but those guys all week, all year, have been spectacular,” the quarterback said. “Those are some of my best friends and I’ve got all the respect for them. They played their butts off.

The lack of complimentary football, which has been an issue all year for the Tigers, led to the loss. Vizzina and the offense were firing by the end of the game, throwing a 23-yard touchdown pass to Smith on 4th-and-21 to make the game a one-score game.

However, Clemson’s defense was unable to stop the Mustangs, who ran their way into the end zone with little to no time remaining. That will be the challenge for the team entering the open date: working together to find that balance.

“We’re disappointed because we know the talent that we have in the room and the type of people are in that building,” Vizzina said. “This is not how we expected the season to be going, but all we can do is respond. We can’t control it now, so it’s on to next week.”

As for the future, Swinney likes what he saw in his potential future quarterback. With Klubnik set to go to the NFL Draft in the offseason, a lot of talk will be about who the next Clemson quarterback is. After his performance against SMU, don’t be surprised if it is Vizzina behind center.

“This will help him, but we’ve got a lot of confidence in him,” Swinney said. "We are going to sign a couple in his class coming in, but he competed his butt off today in a tough situation.