​CLEMSON — Clemson football’s likely starting quarterback Christopher Vizzina has only one career start.His first career road start is expected to happen against LSU on Sept. 5 (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC) at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementDespite being double-digit underdogs and Vizzina’s inexperience, Clemson quarterbacks coach Tajh Boyd believes in the fourth-year quarterback.”He’s ready. He’s ready,” Boyd said at Clemson’s media day on July 14. “He has the pieces around him. Everyone feels like they have to do it by themselves, especially when you walk into an environment like that where it’s hostile right?”Those pieces include new offensive coordinator Chad Morris, who replaced Garrett Riley after three seasons. Morris was hired in January after Clemson went 7-6 in 2025, the second-worst year in coach Dabo Swinney’s full 17 seasons.1 / 35Clemson offensive coordinator Chad Morris speaks with media during Clemson football media day at the Allen N. Reeves football complex in Clemson, S.C. Tuesday, July 14, 2026.(Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina)Swinney, Morris and Boyd are banking on Vizzina to get the ball to Clemson’s talented skill-position players to upset LSU. That includes running backs Gideon Davidson and Chris Johnson Jr., wide receivers Bryant Wesco Jr. and T.J. Moore and tight ends Olsen Patt-Henry and Christian Bentancur.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement”CV and this team has a chance to do that Week 1 with all eyes on you,” Boyd said. “Man, it doesn’t get much better than that.”The 2026 season feels like déjà vu for Boyd, too. He was a redshirt sophomore when he became Clemson’s starter in 2011 under Morris, who was in his first year as offensive coordinator.Boyd was unproven after redshirting in his freshman year and appearing in seven games to record four touchdowns and three interceptions in the following season. Still, Swinney believed Morris could unlock Boyd’s talent to improve from a 6-7 season in 2010.MORE: Dabo Swinney press conference, live updates for Clemson football coachAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBoyd proved his coach right, throwing for an ACC-leading 3,828 yards and 33 touchdowns to help Clemson finish 10-4 and win the ACC for the first time since 1991. Fifteen years later, Boyd is on Clemson’s staff with Morris as the Tigers figure out their quarterback competition.”It gives you a little bit of instant credibility within that, but again, this is their own journey,” Boyd said.Vizzina has waited three seasons to be Clemson’s starter, making his only start against SMU last season when Cade Klubnik was out with an injury. Vizzina completed 69% of his passes for 317 yards and three touchdowns in the loss to the Mustangs.Vizzina exited the spring as Clemson’s No. 1 quarterback but isn’t a lock to start Week 1. Freshman Tait Reynolds will compete with Vizzina in preseason practice after becoming the No. 2 quarterback during spring practice.Advertiseme