Clemson freshman quarterback Christopher Vizzina expected to redshirt

One of the Tigers’ most significant signings in the 2023 class is expected to redshirt.

Dabo Swinney and the Clemson football program haven’t landed a quarterback in the 2024 class, but according to Swinney, that is no problem. 

During Tuesday’s Clemson media outing, Swinney discussed his future plans at quarterback with a QB room headlined by starter Cade Klubnik and highly touted freshman Christopher Vizzina who fans are incredibly excited to see in action. 

However, the Tigers’ quarterback room is much deeper than just the two big names. Hunter Helms has been impressive all offseason and preseason, earning the second-string quarterback role, and Paul Tyson is a veteran who is fully capable under center. With how this quarterback room is set up, though nothing is certain, Swinney and the Tigers intend to redshirt Vizzina.

“We hope that [Christopher Vizzina] can be our ’23 signee and our ’24 signee if you will and it really kinda sets us up with a good situation with Cade being a junior and him being a redshirt freshman which tells you how we feel about CV. I think we got a great player right there,” Swinney said.

“Who know what’s going to happen, right? It rarely goes according to the script but that’s certainly something that we hope to be able to do and get some playing time, get him some experience. Helms and Paul have to really be able to bridge that gap for us.”

That is not a bad plan from the future Hall of Fame head coach; Vizzina redshirting makes sense for both the quarterback and the team. Swinney clearly has a plan for Vizzina, and the future looks bright for the young quarterback.

There are no guarantees this is how things play out, but that’s life.

[lawrence-auto-related count=1]

Where did the top quarterbacks sign in the 2023 recruiting class?

Jackson Arnold to Oklahoma and Arch Manning to Texas, but where did the rest of the top quarterback sign to play college ball in 2023?

From the high school level to the NFL, quarterback play has become the greatest contributor to winning in the game of football. Teams can certainly win without great quarterback play, but they must have an elite defense and running game to do so.

So when a team lands one of the top quarterbacks in a recruiting class, it’s a big deal.

The Oklahoma Sooners have had their fair share of great quarterbacks over the last 20 years. Sooner quarterbacks have won four Heisman trophies and earned more trips to New York as a finalist as well.

In the 2023 cycle, the Sooners signed [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag]. A four-star player at the time of his commitment last January, he has skyrocketed over the last 11 months. From earning Elite 11 MVP honors in the summer to becoming a consensus five-star player, Arnold’s stock has seen incredible growth. He backed that up with an incredible senior season, during which he accounted for 4,400 total yards and 57 touchdowns to help Denton Guyer reach the Texas 6A state semifinals.

He’s the highest-ranked player in the Oklahoma Sooners recruiting class, according to 247Sports. Arnold was the second-longest tenured commitment in the class before signing with Oklahoma on the first day of the early signing period. Pulling the No. 1 player in the state of Texas and the No. 7 player in the class is a huge win for [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] and [autotag]Jeff Lebby[/autotag].

Arnold’s addition helped ease the loss of Malachi Nelson, who flipped to USC to follow Lincoln Riley last December. Signing Arnold also helped the Sooners answer the Arch Manning signing by Texas.

There are a lot of good quarterbacks out there going to a lot of different places. Let’s take a look at where the top signal-callers landed.

A quarterback away?

Back in September, when Dabo Swinney held out hope that his passing game could be more dynamic, Clemson’s coach made a declaration that seems relevant given where things stand now that the regular season is over. “You can’t win at the highest level …

Back in September, when Dabo Swinney held out hope that his passing game could be more dynamic, Clemson’s coach made a declaration that seems relevant given where things stand now that the regular season is over.

“You can’t win at the highest level if you can’t throw the ball. You just can’t,” Swinney said following the Tigers’ first two games. “You’ve got to have a great passing game.”

Ten games and a couple of losses later, Clemson is in jeopardy of missing out on an ACC championship for the second straight season, though that will be decided when the Tigers duke it out with North Carolina next weekend in Charlotte. Sure, Clemson’s defense has taken a step back under first-year coordinator Wesley Goodwin, particularly in the secondary. And D.J. Uiagalelei hasn’t gotten much help from a receiving corps that’s sorely lacking the impact players it’s had in the not-too-distant past.

But one would be hard-pressed to make a case for anything other than insufficient quarterback play when it comes to the primary reason why Clemson has already assured itself of missing out on another College Football Playoff appearance.

It was always going to be a tall if not impossible task to try to meet the unenviable bar of expectation that Trevor Lawrence (and Deshaun Watson before him) set during his time at Clemson before the Jacksonville Jaguars made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. But for most of the last two seasons, the Tigers have struggled to be average at the most important position on the field.

Uiagalelei dazzled in those two spot starts for Lawrence against Boston College and Notre Dame as a true freshman in 2020, but that seems like a lifetime ago. In his two seasons as Lawrence’s successor, Uiagalelei, a former five-star signee himself, has completed 58% of his passes with 31 touchdown passes and 17 interceptions. He threw more picks (10) than touchdowns (9) a season ago.

After an offseason of physical and mechanical tweaks, there was confidence from Uiagalelei and a public backing from Swinney in his belief that his strong-armed signal caller would show significant improvement this season. Early on, it looked like that assessment might be spot on.

Uiagalelei averaged 243 yards passing with 14 touchdowns and just two interceptions through the first half of the regular season. There was that 371-yard, five-touchdown performance in a double-overtime win at Wake Forest in late September that looked like a legitimate breakthrough moment.

But things started trending in the opposite direction a couple of weeks later against Syracuse. Uiagalelei threw two picks and lost a scoop-and-score fumble in a comeback victory he watched from the Tigers’ sideline after being benched in the second half. He’s committed at least one turnover in six of the last seven games, including a pick-six against Notre Dame that contributed to him being pulled again.

And despite the assistance of a running game that’s averaged nearly 214 yards over the last five games, Uiagalelei has surpassed the 200-yard passing mark just once in those games. A completion rate that sat right at 65% through the first seven games has dropped to 62.2% since.

Things bottomed out against South Carolina on Saturday. Uiagalelei set career-lows in completions (8) and completion rate (27.5%). He also threw his seventh interception of the season in a one-possession game midway through the fourth quarter, one that was sailed well beyond tight end Davis Allen’s reach and was easily picked by Carolina’s Marcellas Dial in the Gamecocks’ 31-30 win.

It was Clemson’s fifth loss in the last two seasons, the same amount the Tigers had in the previous four seasons combined amid their six-year CFP run. In those losses, Uiagalelei has completed exactly 50% of his passes for 707 yards with two more interceptions (6) than touchdown passes (4).

But Uiagalelei was never benched Saturday. In fact, Cade Klubnik, another blue-chip signee at the position, hasn’t gotten much opportunity this season outside of those limited reps against Syracuse and Notre Dame when Swinney said he thought the offense needed a spark.

Yet despite Uiagalelei struggling more than at any point this season against the Gamecocks, Swinney didn’t turn to the freshman. Klubnik wasn’t asked to do much through the air against Syracuse (Clemson ran for a season-high 293 yards that day) and threw an ill-advised interception of his own against Notre Dame deep in his own territory, but that was one of just two snaps Klubnik played in the Tigers’ first loss.

Klubnik has attempted just 22 passes in eight games to this point. He’s been Uiagalelei’s backup all season, but his lack of opportunity indicates Swinney and offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter aren’t yet at a place where they fully trust the youngster to log meaningful game reps.

So Klubnik’s potential remains unknown while Uiagalelei, a two-year starter who’s played in 35 games over the last three seasons, is at a point in his career where the sample size suggests he is what he is. Swinney said Sunday that Uiagalelei is still the Tigers’ starter. But when was asked after Saturday’s game about the possibility of the two splitting reps during practice this week, Swinney was short with his answers yet not exactly dismissive of the idea.

“We’ll see,” he said.

Clemson has another blue-chipper in line to join the quarterback room next season in Briarwood Christian (Alabama) School standout Christopher Vizzina, who’s expected to make his commitment official next month during the early signing period. For now, though, the focus is on how Swinney is going to handle the quarterbacks he’s already got from here on out.

It’s a situation the Tigers have to get figured out sooner rather than later. Their hopes of getting back to being one of college football’s elite depends on it.

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Notre Dame’s 2023 recruiting offers: Quarterback

Reposting clearly just by coincidence this evening…

What does the future look like at quarterback for Notre Dame?

For the next few seasons, the belief and hope is it will be Tyler Buchner leading the way for the Irish. The longer-term answer isn’t as certain.

Notre Dame has had a fantastic start to its 2023 recruiting class; it ranks among the best in the nation as we approach the 2022 regular season.

That class is great and [autotag]C.J. Carr[/autotag] awaits in next year’s class, but what about the 2023 recruiting cycle at quarterback for Notre Dame? After going all in on [autotag]Dante Moore[/autotag] and falling short (thanks a lot, Oregon), do the Irish end up with a quarterback this cycle or hold off?

Here are the quarterbacks Notre Dame has offered scholarships to this cycle, where they’ve committed, and who may remain for the Irish.

5-star QB commit calls latest Tiger Town visit one of his favorites

Christopher Vizzina’s most recent visit to Clemson is probably one of his favorite visits he’s ever taken. Clemson’s five-star quarterback commit out of Birmingham (Ala.) Briarwood Christain School, who was in attendance for the Tigers’ 48-20 win …

Christopher Vizzina’s most recent visit to Clemson is probably one of his favorite visits he’s ever taken.

Clemson’s five-star quarterback commit out of Birmingham (Ala.) Briarwood Christain School, who was in attendance for the Tigers’ 48-20 win over Louisiana Tech last Saturday at Memorial Stadium, admitted as such in a phone interview with The Clemson Insider Wednesday afternoon.

“The atmosphere there was just unreal,” Vizzina said. “It’s not like it’s a conference game or anything, but you wouldn’t know. It was packed out. I remember running to the hill from the visitors’ tunnel after the national anthem and hearing all the Clemson fans saying, ‘Let’s go Vizzina’ and people just encouraging me even though I’m not playing in the game or anything like that. Even the student section showed me a lot of love and everything. It was unreal. 

“To stand up there and get to be up there when they touch the rock and get to be under that huge jumbotron and see the hype video and see the lights flashing, it was huge. It was just an amazing feeling.”

That feeling carried over from some of the pregame festivities, in which Clemson continued to make its prized quarterback commit feel like a priority.

“I walked in there and just knew my way around the facility,” Vizzina began in explaining his latest visit to Clemson. “They just let me get a second look at everything — really like the seventh look, but just to be able to see everything again and just really hang out with the coaches, they personally know me now.”

Of course, Vizzina is referring to before Clemson’s third victory of the season, in which he had a chance to catch up with some of his future coaches and discuss some of the games he’s played in during his senior season.

“It was great,” he said. “I think one of the most special things for me was getting to talk to Coach Swinney for like 15-20 minutes before the game. I was kind of thinking like, ‘What other head coach would be doing this?’ Taking the time to talk to me before a good game.”

“For him to take the time to do that meant the world,” Vizzina added. “I knew that’s the person he is. Every time I talk to him, I know that what I think about him is correct.”

In his sitdown with Clemson coach Dabo Swinney, Vizzina said they discussed a multitude of things, including the Tigers’ 2023 recruiting class, how his senior campaign is going and just life in general.

Vizizna also had the chance to talk with Swinney, right after he handed out his latest running back offer to Douglasville (Ga.) South Paulding three-star Jamarion Wilcox, who was on campus for an unofficial visit.

“Right now it is,” Vizzina said when asked about Wilcox being Clemson’s main target at running back. “We’re his biggest offer for sure. I think he loves it. He’s got an amazing story. I think the Clemson staff has really shown him that we want him here and everything like that. Even the commits, we wanted to go up to him and let him know, ‘You’re our guy. We want you to be a part of this class.’”

Wilcox isn’t the only uncommitted prospect in the class of 2023 that Vizzina’s recruiting him. He’s in on Tomarrion Parker and is putting forth his best effort to convince the four-star defensive end out of Phenix City (Ala.) Central High School, that Clemson is the best fit for him.

“Me and him are pretty tight,” Vizzina said of Parker. “I’d say he might be a little annoyed with me, but at the same time, I think he can tell that this is a school that really wants him. I think we’re in a good spot with him. I don’t think he’s made his decision yet, but obviously, I want him to be a part of this class and that would be a huge get for us.

“I feel like I’m doing my job (as a recruiter), but that’s what comes with it — you feel like you’re annoying people. I’m sure that’s what coaches feel like sometimes, but that’s their job. Like I said before I committed, I want to be the leader of this class. I wanted to help build this class. That’s my job and that’s what I’m doing.”

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Top prospects headed to Death Valley for Clemson-Louisiana Tech game

Clemson will again play host to some top prospects for Saturday’s 8:00 p.m. game against Louisiana Tech in Death Valley. Here are some of the bigger names The Clemson Insider has confirmed as planned visitors for the Clemson-Tech game. The …

Clemson will again play host to some top prospects for Saturday’s 8:00 p.m. game against Louisiana Tech in Death Valley.

Here are some of the bigger names The Clemson Insider has confirmed as planned visitors for the Clemson-Tech game.

The headlining prospect in the class of 2023 is Kennesaw (Ga.) North Cobb Christian School three-star interior offensive lineman Gabriel Fortson. The 6-foot-4, 300-pound senior participated in the Dabo Swinney Camp this past summer and had a great time while competing at the camp and working with Clemson’s coaching staff.

He also said he “definitely” feels better about his chances of earning an offer from the Tigers based on how this year’s Swinney Camp went for him.

“It’d mean a lot,” Fortson said of a potential Clemson offer. “It’d immediately be one of my top schools on the list. Honestly, I’d love to go there. Everything’s so family-oriented, and Coach Swinney’s such a great coach and everything. I’d love to be a part of it.”

A couple of headliners among the recruits expected to be in attendance are a five-star class of 2024 prospect in Parkview (Lilburn, Ga.) safety Mike Matthews, as well as a four-star class of 2024 prospect in Philadelphia (Pa.) St. Joseph’s Prep cornerback Omillio Agard.

When Clemson formally turned the page to offering prospects in the 2024 class on Wednesday, June 1, and started doling out offers to rising junior recruits, two of the first prospects to report offers from the Tigers were Matthews and Agard.

247Sports considers Matthews (6-3. 180) to be the No. 1 safety and the nation’s No. 9 overall prospect regardless of position in the class of 2024.

“I was very excited,” Matthews said of receiving an offer from Clemson. “It’s very important for me for a school like that to offer me. It shows how they feel about me as a player.”

Agard (6-0, 173) is ranked as the No. 8 cornerback and No. 84 overall prospect in the 2024 class by Rivals, while 247Sports considers him the No. 18 corner and No. 204 overall prospect in the class.

“Getting that offer means a lot because I’ve been building a relationship with Coach Reed and the coaches for over a year now, so it’s like, ‘Wow, they really believe in me,’ because I’m one of the first offers in the class,” Agard told The Clemson Insider back in June. It means a lot and they don’t offer too many guys, so I’m just grateful. I’m definitely high on them and they’re high on me. We’re gonna see where this goes in the next couple of years.”

During his visit, Agard got a chance to talk with Clemson coach Dabo Swinney for about 30 minutes. According to Agard, Swinney was telling him that he’s the type of guy that they want in their program because he’s a great person with good academics.

“I just check every box,” Agard recalled, “and they check all my boxes at a school that I want to be at. It just all fell into place. Coach Swinney’s a great guy and he just showed me that I’m wanted.”

“I’m really high on Clemson now,” he added. “I see myself there. I could be a Tiger. It was just great.”

Cass (Cartersville, Ga.) 2024 three-star wide receiver Sacovie White will be making his first trip to Clemson on Saturday, along with his mother and sister.

“I’m very excited about that,” he said of Saturday’s game. “It’s just to see a night game. Night games are very, very inspiring — just seeing what the atmosphere feels like.”

Another prospect worth mentioning that will be in attendance is Parkview (Lilburn, Ga.) 2025 offensive lineman Cortez Smith. Smith — a 6-foot-4, 275-pound sophomore in the class of 2025 — is high on Clemson early and is already one of the top offensive guards in the country. He holds a lone offer from Penn State.

Among other notable recruits on Clemson’s anticipated guest list for Saturday’s game are two Clemson commits in Birmingham (Ala.) Briarwood Christian five-star quarterback Christopher Vizzina and Stockbridge (Georgia) three-star cornerback Shelton Lewis, as well as Gaffney (S.C.) 2023 DB O’Myireia Daniels, Navarre (Florida) four-star LB Zavier Hamilton, Philadelphia (Pa.) St. Joseph’s Prep four-star WR David Washington, Jr., Daphne (Ala.) Bayside Academy 2024 OL Graham Uter, Spartanburg (S.C.) Broome High 2024 OL Steven O’Dell, Alpharetta (Ga.) Johns Creek 2024 WR Kyle Vaka, Buffalo (West Virginia) 2025 QB Josh Moody, Woodmont (Simpsonville, S.C.) 2025 TE Tre Broughton, Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) 2025 OL Bryce Hudson, Parkview (Lilburn, Ga.) 2025 OL Jordan Floyd and Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School (Georgia) 2025 DL Terry Nwabuisi Ezeala.

— Myrtle Beach (S.C.) 2025 WR John Simmons messaged The Clemson Insider saying that he might be attending this weekend’s game, while unconfirmed at the moment.

Dear Old Clemson is excited to announce limited edition signed cards from the freshmen football players are now in our online store. There are only 100 of each signed.

Now there is a new way you can support Clemson student-athletes. Purchase collectibles from Dear Old Clemson and the proceeds with go to support Clemson student-athletes. Visit Dear Old Clemson to find out how you can help!

Friday Night Lights: Future Tigers shine in Week 4

It’s time for this week’s edition of Friday Night Lights. The Clemson Insider tracked the weekly individual performances of Clemson’s 20 verbal commitments from the 2023 class. Here are the results from Week 4: Christopher Vizzina Vizzina – a …

It’s time for this week’s edition of Friday Night Lights.

The Clemson Insider tracked the weekly individual performances of Clemson’s 20 verbal commitments from the 2023 class. Here are the results from Week 4:

Christopher Vizzina

Vizzina — a 6-foot-4, 207-pound quarterback from Alabama’s Briarwood Christian School — stood out in a losing effort Thursday night.

According to Clemson’s five-star quarterback commit, he finished 23-of-29 passing with 277 yards and four total touchdowns (three passing, one rushing). Vizzina also added 78 yards on the ground in a 35-34 loss at Pelham — Clemson coach Dabo Swinney’s alma mater.

Branden Strozier

Clemson’s four-star cornerback commit out of Alpharetta (Ga.) St. Francis High School recorded nine tackles, and a pass breakup with two receptions for 22 yards in a 35-28 win over Fellowship Christian on Thursday night.

Noble Johnson

The four-star wide receiver commit out of Rockwall (Texas) recorded four receptions for 41 yards in a 19-11 loss at the hands of Prosper (Texas) High School.

Ronan Hanafin

The four-star wide receiver commit of Cambridge (MA.) Buckingham Browne & Nichols School had a bye week, which allowed him to be in attendance for Clemson’s 35-12 win over Furman on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.

Olsen Patt Henry

The four-star tight end commit helped lead Naples (Fla.) First Baptist Academy to a 28-27 win over Sarasota (Fla.) Cardinal Mooney in a nonconference game Friday night.

Markus Dixon

In the three-star tight end commit’s first game of the season, Warminster (Pa.) Archbishop Wood fell at the hands of Malvern (Pa.) Prep School, 21-3.

Harris Sewell

The four-star offensive lineman out of Permian (Odessa, TX.) helped his team to a 13-12 victory over Tascoa (Amarillo, TX.) nonconference game on Friday night.

Ian Reed

The four-star offensive lineman out of Vandegrift (Austin, TX.) helped his team to a 45-0 win over Midway (Waco, TX.) in a neutral nonconference game on Friday night.

Stephiylan Green

The four-star defensive lineman out of Rome (Georgia) helped his team to a 30-28 win over Pebblebrook (Mableton, Ga.) in a nonconference game Friday night.

Vic Burley

The four-star defensive lineman out of Warner Robins (Georgia) and his team fell in a 25-0 loss to Valdosta (Georgia) in a home nonconference game Friday night.

A.J. Hoffler

Hoffler —a 6-foot-5, 245-pound defensive end from Georgia’s Woodward Academy — stood out in his team’s 28-21 win over Marist (Atlanta, Ga.) on Friday night.

According to the four-star Clemson commit, he recorded three sacks and five tackles (one for loss) in the win.

Peter Woods

Woods — a 6-foot-3, 270-pound defensive lineman from Alabama’s Thompson High School — stood out in his team’s 35-14 win over Hoover (Ala.) Spain Park on Friday night.

The five-star Clemson commit recorded five total tackles (two for loss) in the win.

David Ojiegbe

The four-star defensive end out of Washington (D.C.) St. John’s College High School helped his team to a 42-14 win over Spokane (WA.) Gonzaga Prep on Saturday.

Stats pending

Dee Crayton

Crayton — a 6-foot-2, 216-pound linebacker from Georgia’s Denmark High School — stood out in his team’s 25-21 win over Harrison (Kennesaw, Ga.) Friday night.

According to the four-star linebacker commit, he recorded double-digit tackles, a pick-six, a rushing touchdown and a fumble recovery in the win.

Avieon Terrell

The four-star cornerback out of Westlake (Atlanta, Ga.) helped his team to a 52-7 win over Decatur (Ga.) Southwest DeKalb in a nonconference game Friday night.

Shelton Lewis

The three-star cornerback out of Stockbridge (Georgia) recorded a 48-yard touchdown reception, one total tackle and a pass defended in his team’s 47-0 win over Luella (Georgia) in a region game Friday night.

Rob Billings

According to his head coach, the four-star safety out of Alpharetta (Ga.) Milton High, recorded six tackles, two assists, two pass breakups and, a blocked kick in his team’s 14-7 win over Roswell (Georgia) Friday night.

He also had an interception that was called back due to a penalty.

Notes: Hoschton (Ga.) Mill Creek four-star linebacker Jamal Anderson’s team had a bye. While McDonough (Ga.) Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy four-star offensive lineman Zechariah Owens and Riverview (Fla.) Sumner High four-star safety Kylen Webb didn’t play due to injury.

Webb (wrist) is not cleared to play for three more weeks. According to Webb, he’ll likely return mid-season for Week 5.

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Tour of Champions: 5-star Vizzina Photo Gallery

The Clemson Insider’s Tour of Champions stopped by Briarwood Christian Friday night to see Clemson 5-star QB commit Christopher Vizzina in action. Vizzina accounted for more than 300 total yards and four total touchdowns in his team’s 36-29 victory …

The Clemson Insider’s Tour of Champions stopped by Briarwood Christian Friday night to see Clemson 5-star QB commit Christopher Vizzina in action.  Vizzina accounted for more than 300 total yards and four total touchdowns in his team’s 36-29 victory over Chilton County (Clanton, Ala.).

Check out some pictures of Vizzina from Friday night’s contest in TCI’s Photo Gallery.

Dear Old Clemson is excited to announce a limited edition football and poster signed by Clemson’s Avengers.

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Tour of Champions: Clemson’s 5-star QB commit catches up with TCI after another gutsy win

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Clemson’s five-star quarterback commit did it again. Christopher Vizzina accounted for more than 300 total yards and four total touchdowns in Briarwood Christain School’s 36-29 victory over Chilton County (Clanton, Ala.) on …

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Clemson’s five-star quarterback commit did it again.

Christopher Vizzina accounted for more than 300 total yards and four total touchdowns in Briarwood Christain School’s 36-29 victory over Chilton County (Clanton, Ala.) on Friday.

“It was similar to last week, but we didn’t really want that,” Vizzina told The Clemson Insider in an exclusive interview following Friday night’s game. “We started off really slow offensively, picked it up. Defense, same thing. After halftime, we really settled down — decided that we were actually gonna win it. That’s how it went. I’m proud of our team. I’m proud of everybody. It took a lot of guts to pull that out.”

That it did.

And for the second consecutive week, Vizzina led Briarwood to another come-from-behind victory. The Lions trailed 14-0 after the first quarter and then trailed 29-28 with one minute and 21 seconds remaining.

The moment never proved to be too big for Vizzina.

He stayed calm, cool and collected, just as he did the week before.

“I would just say it being my senior year,” Vizzina said when asked where that poise comes from. “I’ve been through a lot of different games, a lot of different situations. It doesn’t get more chaotic than that. After doing that a couple of times, it’s like man, I’ve done this before, we can do this.”

It started at halftime. Tied at 14, Vizzina told his team that it was a similar situation to last week and that they could go out for the next 24 minutes and win it right here and there. The game was for the taking.

“We were playing hard before the end of the first half,” he said. “It kind of carried over and we punched them in the mouth in the second half.”

Vizzina finished Friday’s contest 13-of-27 passing for 223 yards with two touchdown passes and two interceptions, while also rushing 13 times for 110 yards and two more scores on the ground.

His ability to tuck the ball and run on some designed plays was the difference.

“I kind of go into (the game) expecting to run a lot,” Vizzina said. “I love doing that too. I like to throw first, obviously, it’s my favorite thing to do, but I like to run too.”

He’ll surely be hearing from his future head coach, Dabo Swinney, just as he did last week. Last Saturday morning, he woke up to a text from Swinney, who had sent him the video of his walk-off touchdown against Spain Park. 

Swinney was showing off Vizzina to all his Birmingham folks, but with Briarwood set to take on Pelham High School — Swinney’s alma-mater next Friday — we’ll see if that same sentiment remains.

“We’re texting all the time, always talking to Coach Swinney,” Vizzina said. “That’s one thing that I could say and all the rest of the commits is just because we’re committed doesn’t mean they stop recruiting us. They would recruit us, I would say even harder. They recruit us because we fit them and they fit us. They still recruit us super hard and I don’t see anybody decommitting.”

Dear Old Clemson is excited to announce a limited edition football and poster signed by Clemson’s Avengers.

Now there is a new way you can support Clemson student-athletes. Purchase collectibles from Dear Old Clemson and the proceeds with go to support Clemson student-athletes. Visit Dear Old Clemson to find out how you can help!

Tour of Champions: Clemson’s 5-star QB commit shines in comeback win

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Clemson’s five-star quarterback commitment shined in a comeback win Friday night. Birmingham (Ala.) Briarwood Christian’s Christopher Vizzina accounted for more than 300 total yards and four total touchdowns in his team’s 36-29 …

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Clemson’s five-star quarterback commitment shined in a comeback win Friday night.

Birmingham (Ala.) Briarwood Christian’s Christopher Vizzina accounted for more than 300 total yards and four total touchdowns in his team’s 36-29 victory over Chilton County (Clanton, Ala.).

With Briarwood Christian down by one point late in the fourth quarter, Vizzina connected for a 41-yard completion to help set up his quarterback keeper with eight seconds remaining -— his second rushing touchdown of the game -— that gave Briarwood Christian a 34-29 advantage. The future Tiger then hit a jump pass two-point conversion that provided the final margin of victory.

Vizzina finished 13-of-27 passing for 223 yards and had two touchdown passes while also rushing 13 times for 110 yards and two more scores on the ground.

The Clemson Insider was on hand to see Vizzina play on the first stop of this year’s Tour of Champions. You can check out clips from his impressive performance below:

https://twitter.com/ClemsonInsider/status/1565884674441977858

Dear Old Clemson is excited to announce a limited edition football and poster signed by Clemson’s Avengers.

Now there is a new way you can support Clemson student-athletes. Purchase collectibles from Dear Old Clemson and the proceeds with go to support Clemson student-athletes. Visit Dear Old Clemson to find out how you can help!