It’s not easy being a quarterback. Some call it the most important position in sports — and to be fair, it’s tough to find a position more vital to an entire team winning or losing. So, whose responsibility will it ultimately be? Who will be Clemson’s next quarterback?
With Cade Klubnik having played his final snaps for Clemson football, there is an opening under center for the Tigers. Klubnik took the reins from DJ Uiagalelei after a largely disappointing tenure, which opened the door for three solid years of college football for Klubnik. Despite becoming Clemson’s all-time leader in passing attempts and completions, fans were ultimately let down by Klubnik’s senior season.
A new undertaker will hope for a different fate.
But when the expectation mirrors the likes of national championship winners Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence, the Clemson quarterback position might be one of the hardest jobs to fill in the country.
Christopher Vizzina comes in as the frontrunner for the position. A Birmingham, Alabama native, Vizzina came out of high school as a four-star recruit, per 247Sports.
In the 2025 season, he showcased his talent, throwing for 317 yards and three touchdowns in his first career start against SMU. Despite his effort, Clemson fell 35-24, but the performance exhibited a flash of promise.
Still, many spectators and fans are flirting with other options, namely the transfer portal and freshman Chris Denson.
First, let’s explore the miraculous transfer portal, which has remained a hot topic among Clemson football fans. Although the opportunity has come and gone, many scratched their heads when the Tigers did not explore potential quarterback options.
After all, their week one opponent, LSU, went out and acquired the No.1 quarterback in the portal class in Sam Leavitt. It was an expensive decision for Lane Kiffin and company — and one that head coach Dabo Swinney doesn’t seem to believe in.
“If you take a quarterback, then you’re losing two,” Swinney said.
Swinney prioritizes awarding loyalty and guys who know the system, which is what he believes he has in Vizzina, a 6-foot-4, 210-pound signal caller who checks almost every box. Yet, fans are still hesitant. Uiagalelei wasn’t the answer; Klubnik wasn’t either.
As the saying goes, fool me once, shame on you. But fool me twice? Shame on me. So why should fans trust Swinney to take another shot with his philosophy?
But the time to get someone new has come and gone. Clemson is giving the job to a player within, and right now, Vizzina is expected to take over. But the same skeptical fans find some satisfaction in another option: enter Chris Denson.
Denson breaks the mold of past Clemson quarterbacks — a lefty duel-threat signal caller, 195 pounds soaking wet. As a freshman in 2025, the former three-star recruit saw his only significant playing time of the season against Furman, where he rushed six times for 106 yards and a touchdown, which included a 50-yard rush, and went 4-for-4 for 22 yards and a touchdown in the air. And, perhaps most importantly, Denson looked like the most athletic player on the field that day.
A quarterback who is a walking explosive play adds an electrifying element that Clemson missed in the 2025 season. Sure, there may be growing pains with a young quarterback, but the payoff could be the element Clemson’s offense needs to find a new spark.
As it stands, the Tigers have two options. The first is Vizzina, the mold their past success has been built on — a strong-armed field general. The second is Denson, a breath of fresh air. He’s a run-first signal caller who is a threat anytime the ball is in his hands.
But, only one can lead the offense in 2026, and only time will tell.
