Clemson quarterback Christopher Vizzina finally caught a break this week, after weeks stuck on the sidelines with a left elbow injury that took way longer to heal than anyone expected. Head coach Dabo Swinney dropped an encouraging update after Wednesday’s practice, letting fans know that while Vizzina isn’t 100 percent, this past week was the best he’s had since before he got hurt.
Brace Off, Range of Motion Still a Grind
The biggest news? Vizzina ditched the larger brace he’d been wearing, moving to a sleeve and pad instead. That’s a massive visual step forward, a sign that the elbow is, indeed, mending. Swinney noted the progress, saying Vizzina’s “gotten better and better.” But don’t pop the champagne just yet, because the recovery has been tough. Swinney admitted they “thought it would bounce back a little bit quicker,” and Vizzina is still fighting to regain his full range of motion. That means a game-time return isn’t confirmed, it’s still very much a “day-to-day” situation.
From Starter to Emergency Only: The Season So Far
This elbow issue has been a real bummer for Vizzina and the Tigers. He started the first two games of the season, but went down against Georgia Southern in Week 2. Since then, true freshman Tait Reynolds took over as the starter ahead of the North Carolina game. Vizzina was completely sidelined for that Tar Heels matchup. When Clemson faced Cal, Vizzina was technically dressed, but Swinney made it crystal clear just how limited that “availability” was. He said they would have gone through Trent Pearman, and even Brock Bradley, before Vizzina would’ve seen the field. The reason? “He was still really, really sore.” In his two starts, Vizzina completed 14 of 23 passes for 102 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. Not exactly eye-popping numbers, but the kid was playing hurt.
So, while seeing that brace come off is a huge psychological win, Vizzina’s full return to form is still a work in progress. It’s a critical step forward, no doubt, but the path back to challenging for the starter job is clearly still a grind for the young QB.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply