A harsh national ranking casts doubt on Christopher Vizzina's potential as Clemson's offense aims for a crucial turnaround under a new coordinator.
Clemson is having a quarterback battle this spring and summer, but Christopher Vizzina is expected to earn the starting job.
The Tigers offense is undergoing some big changes this offseason. Chad Morris has returned to coach the offense, replacing Garrett Riley, who struggled to get the most out of Cade Klubnik last season.
The marriage of Morris and Vizzina could determine how far the Tigers go in making a turnaround from a 7-6 campaign in 2025. It's a pivotal year for head coach Dabo Swinney, and he needs a quarterback that can win big games in the ACC.
Brad Crawford of CBS Sports appears to have his doubts on Vizzina. He ranked the Clemson quarterback at the No. 44 best quarterback in the country this season and No. 9 in the ACC.
"Dabo Swinney chose not to go to the portal for a quarterback, so Vizzina it is for the Tigers!" Crawford wrote.
"Behind Cade Klubnik each of the past two seasons, Vizzina did see extended action last fall during a loss to SMU when he threw for 317 yards and three scores. If Clemson gets that level of play out of Vizzina, the Tigers will be an ACC threat throughout the season."
The worry, of course, is that Vizzina can't do that consistently. It's a big question for Clemson before training camp.
Swinney has tried to keep the leader of the quarterback battle under wraps this spring. However, he did say practices have provided some clarity before training camp.
"We're coming out of spring with some clarity, and I think we needed that, the team needed that, the players needed that, and I think they all knew that," Swinney said. "Coming out of it, now, with two clear guys, and we can go into the summer."
Frankly, it's not ideal for Clemson to have a quarterback battle going into training camp. They should have an established starter that can work with the first team through the summer.
It'll be interesting to see if the battle costs Clemson at the start of the season. It's something that could have been avoided by using the transfer portal.