CLEMSON — Dabo Swinney is loyal, almost to a fault, one might say.

In the past, Clemson’s head coach has leaned towards loyalty in making some big-time decisions. Sometimes his loyalty has paid off and sometimes it has not.

Swinney is also loyal to those who are loyal to him. And that makes sense. It’s how good business professionals have done business for years.

“You treat me well and with respect, and I will treat you well and with respect,” as the saying goes.

And so begins Clemson’s quarterback competition for 2026.

In this day and age, when players are bouncing from one school to another like a ping-pong, Christopher Vizzina has stayed true and loyal to Clemson and Swinney. So, Swinney did the same and did not go after a quarterback in the transfer portal.

Let’s be real here, Vizzina could have left Clemson a long time ago, and everyone would have understood. The last three seasons he sat behind quarterback Cade Klubnik, and barely sniffed the field on game days, much less played in a game.

“This kid’s done his part, and he’s been waiting his time, and now’s his time,” Swinney said back in December when asked about his confidence in the 6-foot-4, 210-pound quarterback.

Vizzina enters the 2026 season having played in just 14 games in three years. He has taken just 238 snaps and, of course, he has one start, when Klubnik could not play in last year’s SMU game due to a foot injury.

The redshirt junior has completed 64-of-105 passes for 596 yards with four touchdowns and one interception. Of the 596 yards, 317 came in one game, as did three of his four touchdown passes.

Vizzina completed 29 of 42 passes for 317 yards, 3 TDs and no interceptions in his only start.

“We have seen that in practice,” Swinney said after the SMU game. “He had a skip in his step, but it is one game. He has to create consistency and all that stuff with more opportunity as it comes.”

Vizzina’s next opportunity will come in spring practice, which begins in a couple of weeks. This time he comes in as the frontrunner, competing against redshirt freshman Chris Denson, graduate Trent Pearman and freshman Tait Reynolds.

“CV has done everything that’s been asked of him, and he’s earned the opportunity,” Swinney said. “He’s earned the opportunity to have the pole position. He’s got to win the race, but he’s got the opportunity to come out with pole position.”

Vizzina has been loyal to Clemson and Clemson in return has stayed loyal to him.

“Now, he’s gotta win the job,” Swinney said. “Obviously, he’s kind of where you start, but you’ve got to win it. Same thing with Denson. Denson didn’t come here just to stand on the sideline. He came here to compete. So, let’s go compete.”