A hard-nosed iron man, Blake Miller has started every game for Clemson at right tackle since arriving prior to the start of the 2022 season.

Miller played 72 snaps as Christopher Vizzina threw for 317 yards and three touchdowns vs. SMU on Oct. 18 – Vizzina’s first career start – and Miller was very impressed by the redshirt sophomore quarterback’s performance against the Mustangs.

A graduate senior, Miller raved about how Vizzina confidently filled in for injured starter Cade Klubnik. Though the Tigers ultimately lost, 35-24, Miller appreciates how Vizzina led the offense and commanded the huddle while giving Clemson a chance to win in what was his 13th career game.

“I, honestly, I was incredibly proud of CV with how he played, but also how he conducted himself,” Miller said. “I think that the way that he just immediately stepped in, and he was very thankful to us [the offensive line] for just having so much belief in him. But also, too, he exuded confidence, which is awesome.

“I feel like, as a guy who hadn’t played like a ton, stepping in there, it could be a little bit daunting. But I think he did a great job of immediately making his presence felt and exuding that confidence, because it’s contagious.”

Miller, a 2022 freshman All-American and two-time All-ACC selection, could tell Vizzina was confident despite his limited game action at Clemson and the fact he was thrust into a starting role.

That confidence served Vizzina well, as the former national top-50 prospect from Alabama became the first Clemson quarterback to throw three or more touchdown passes in his starting debut since Deshaun Watson’s six-touchdown performance in his first career start against North Carolina in 2014.

Vizzina’s 317 passing yards were the fifth-most by a Clemson quarterback making his starting debut since 1953.

“I think that just the way that [Vizzina] talked, he had a very strong inflection in his voice,” said Miller, who in 2025 became the seventh player on record in Clemson history to reach 3,000 career snaps from scrimmage.

“And then also, too, there’s just this weird kind of feeling you get – like I said, it’s contagious. You can tell when someone is nervous and you can tell when someone’s confident, even if it’s unspoken. Like, he just came in there and immediately, he just commanded the huddle, he commanded the line, and it was awesome.”