The most disappointing news fans heard coming out of Clemson’s spring camp, is that Chris Denson is out of the race for the starting quarterback job. Following the 2025 season, Denson was the biggest bright spot on the roster after his short, yet explosive showing against Furman late in the season.
Denson threw just four passes and completed all of them for 22 yards and a touchdown. He also carried the ball seven times for 108 yards and another touchdown on the ground against FCS competition.
That was enough to get much of the fan base excited about the potential of Denson becoming the starter in 2026, instead of Christopher Vizzina. At the very least, it warranted a true competition between the two in the offseason.
Denson this Spring
As the competition began to take shape this spring, it did not go Denson’s way. It did not help his case that the four-star freshman quarterback the Tigers brought in, Tait Reynolds, is immediately living up to his hype.
As Spring practice closes for Clemson and it moves into preparing for fall camp, the quarterback battle has become a true two-man race. The problem is, Denson is on the outside looking in.
Head Coach Dabo Swinney says it is because Denson has not developed enough as a passer. So he leaves the sophomore with two options. Either switch positions or stay at quarterback, where he’d likely never win the starting job.
Option one
If Denson chooses the first option, there are two positions he could play.
He could play wide receiver. Denson’s body frame and athleticism might be best suited for that position. Denson is 6’2 and 195 pounds. That is the ideal size of a division one wide receiver.
He has the speed and agility to play on the perimeter. Denson’s ability to run routes and catch the ball are unknown though. However, he’d already know the route tree, pass concepts, and have an understanding of the timing for each route. If Denson made a position change, going to receiver would make the most sense.
The other position Denson could potentially play is running back. Denson’s body frame is not one typically considered for the position. He is still young enough to fill out his frame though to make it work.
It’d be the easiest way to get the football in his hands outside of taking snaps. We’ve seen how electric Denson is carrying the football. It’s what the fans want to see.
Denson has good vision as a runner. He has the elusiveness needed as well to navigate run lanes out of the backfield. His size is not ideal for taking a ton of hits through a 60-minute game. Although, as a change-up or scat-back type of player, Denson could be very impactful
A change to either one of those positions would ease fans' minds. This is because many are beginning to fear Denson may want to transfer otherwise.
Option two
It’s hard to see how someone as athletically talented as Denson would want to spend their whole career as a third-string or back-up player. That is why many fans either assume, or even weirdly have asked that Denson transfers at the end of the season.
While this outcome is highly likely in today’s landscape, it is not a guarantee. Swinney said himself, “Denson is physically as gifted as anyone we got.” The head coach believes in Denson, or else he would not have taken a chance on the former three-star recruit. That is why Swinney also made sure to let it be known that Denson will still be used on the field in some capacity.
It’d be silly not to find something for Denson to do in this offense, even if he stays at quarterback. In fact, a conference foe might’ve given the Tigers a recipe for how to use Denson in games as he continues to develop as a passer in practice.
North Carolina State has had its quarterback solidified the last two years with CJ Bailey. But, it also had another athletically gifted player taking snaps with the third-team in 2025.
Quarterback Will Wilson was the Wolfpack’s third-string quarterback in 2025. Still, he saw more time on the field than the back-up because of the role the coaching staff found for him. Wilson became the Packs’ go to short yardage runner. Whether it’s on the goal line or third/fourth and short situations, Wilson takes the snap and uses his legs to pick up the yards needed.
Denson can play a similar role for the Tigers. Unlike Wilson though, Denson is not 230 pounds. So it may not specifically be short yardage situations.
However, Denson could still enter the game to take some quarterback designed runs to give a different look. He could be the quarterback in a wildcat set instead of another skill player. Let him use his legs to create big plays. Then when teams adjust, give him easy reads and throws to complete passes down field.
Whatever it takes, Denson needs to be on the field with the ball in his hands this season for the Tigers. Denson has shown that he is an explosive play waiting to happen.