Following Clemson’s spring game in late March, head coach Dabo Swinney provided clarity on the Tigers’ quarterback battle, saying that redshirt junior Christopher Vizzina and true freshman Tait Reynolds had clearly separated themselves from the rest of the pack in the competition. Swinney said that Vizzina and Reynolds had made the race to be Clemson’s new starting QB a two-man race.

Swinney then went on to say that second-year player Chris Denson — who entered the spring as the No. 2 quarterback – had a decision to make about whether he still wanted to be a quarterback or if he liked his chances playing another position. After the spring game, it was readily apparent that Denson wasn’t a factor in the QB race and a position change was likely coming for him.

On Tuesday, during Clemson Football’s media outing at Clemson’s Allen N. Reeves Football Complex, members of Clemson’s staff were made available to the media in the complex’s PAW Bistro.

Offensive coordinator Chad Morris gave the latest update on Denson and how the Tigers plan to use him this fall. Morris shared that the talented athlete is still taking some QB reps, but has transitioned into more of a “hybrid” role and has also been working at wide receiver and running back.

“Obviously coming out of spring, I know Coach [Swinney] talked about that, and Chris has been a guy that’s still working some quarterback,” Morris said. “He was just a hybrid guy and moving around. I think Chris is a guy that we know he’s electric with the ball in his hands, and so trying to find a way to get the ball in his hands.”

“He’s been all over the field,” Morris added. “So, he’s played some wide receiver. He’s been some in the backfield. He’s just kind of been all over, and still working in there at the quarterback position. Kind of moving him around, trying to find a place to get him the ball.”

Denson, who enrolled at Clemson in January 2025, was ranked among the top 25 dual-threat quarterbacks in the country for the 2025 recruiting class by Rivals and ESPN.

A two-year starter for Plant City (Fla.) High School, Denson completed 63.6 percent of his career passes for 4,813 yards and 55 touchdowns with just 13 interceptions. He added 1,940 career rushing yards on 207 carries (9.4-yard average) and collected 16 rushing touchdowns with eight 100-yard rushing games over his career.

Denson played 11 offensive snaps over two games while redshirting in 2025. His most extensive action came in Clemson’s win over Furman last November, when he rushed six times for a team-high 106 yards and completed all four of his passes for 22 yards while accounting for two total touchdowns, one through the air and one on the ground.

Morris added Tuesday that the 6-foot-2, 195-pound Denson does “not yet” have a specific position title.

“Since we broke from spring and just kind of working these guys through summer, and the conditioning and going through skills and drills, he’s bounced all over in the summer,” Morris said.