Christopher Vizzina experienced an overall solid, but somewhat up-and-down debut as Clemson’s starting quarterback.
With Cade Klubnik injured and watching from the sideline, Vizzina made his first career start in Saturday’s game against SMU at Memorial Stadium, as the Tigers fell to the Mustangs, 35-24.
Overall, the redshirt sophomore completed 29 of 42 passes for 317 yards and three touchdowns. Vizzina did not throw an interception, though he fumbled twice and lost one of them.
Playing in his 13th career game, Vizzina made some really good throws, including his 32-yard touchdown pass to T.J. Moore midway through the second quarter. His other touchdown pass to Moore in the third quarter was slightly overthrown, but Moore made an amazing one-handed grab to haul it in and cruise into the end zone for a 62-yard score.
Vizzina valiantly tried to rally the Tigers. With Clemson trailing 29-17 midway through the fourth quarter, SMU jumped offside on fourth-and-21 and gave Clemson a free play. Vizzina took advantage, throwing the ball up in the end zone and giving Tristan Smith a chance to come down with it, and he did just that for a 23-yard touchdown that cut Clemson’s deficit to 29-24.
Vizzina missed some other throws, and too many of his throws were underneath. Outside of the few touchdown drives, the offense was largely ineffective and sometimes lifeless.
Vizzina struggled mightily as the Tigers went three-and-out on three of their five first-quarter possessions. The longest drive in the opening quarter only went 18 yards. For the game, other than the three touchdown drives and a drive that ended in a field goal, Clemson punted seven times, turned it over once on Vizzina’s fumble, and also turned it over on downs.
Vizzina fought, competed hard and gave the Tigers a chance to win, but it ultimately wasn’t enough as Clemson fell to 3-4 overall and 2-3 in the ACC. At the end of the day, while it took him a little while to get going, Vizzina certainly made some plays. He was good enough in the second half to win had the defense done its part.
Following an open date next weekend, the Tigers return to the field on Saturday, Nov. 1 against Duke at Death Valley.