One of college football’s Heisman frontrunners to start the 2025 season, Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik would’ve likely never been in this position if not for Tigers coach Dabo Swinney. Klubnik credits Swinney for walking him off the transfer portal ledge earlier in his career after the former five-star prospect’s starting tenure began with a bevy of detractors in 2023 during his sophomore season.
This is part of the all-consuming pressure that comes with following in the footsteps of Clemson quarterbacks Deshaun Watson, Kelly Bryant, Trevor Lawrence and D.J. Uiagalelei, all of which won ACC and/or national titles with the Tigers.
“Everybody kind of told me I sucked, and wasn’t very good,” Klubnik told the AP, looking back on his 19-touchdown, nine-interception season two years ago. “A lot of people wanted me out of Clemson.”
Unsure of his next career move following Clemson’s Gator Bowl win over Kentucky to end the 2023 campaign, Klubnik said an impromptu meeting with Swinney changed everything for him. He had his coach’s blessing of confidence and the rest is history.
“To have somebody that I look up to and believe in, tell me that he believes in me, it just filled me with confidence,” Klubnik said. “He could have gone and done what a lot of other coaches would do [and find a transfer quarterback], but he didn’t.””
Prior to Klubnik’s record-setting 36-touchdown barrage last fall when he led the Tigers to a conference title and playoff berth at Texas, Swinney said there were enough good throws during the 2023 season that led to the optimistic belief he was the right guy to lead Clemson’s offense.
No quarterback in the ACC is more decorated heading into next weekend’s season opener against nationally-ranked LSU than Klubnik, who has also drawn 2026 NFL Draft first-round buzz.
“You know, this is a developmental game,” Swinney said. “We forget that because now we’re in this world where if you’re not great as a freshman it’s, oh well, you stink. And then you move on to the next guy.”
Elite expectations for Tigers
With Klubnik in tow prepping for Year 3 with Garrett Riley as high play-caller, Clemson’s offense should be one of the nation’s best in 2025. Klubnik was terrific in last season’s playoff loss at Texas, but the Tigers didn’t have enough defensively to combat the SEC runner-ups, who eventually lost for a second straight year in the playoff semifinals.
Thanks to a loaded arsenal at wide receiver and several projected first-round picks returning on defense, one could make the case that this Clemson team is Swinney’s most-talented since his last national championship at the program.
“I think getting back there, getting to the final four would probably be the expectation, anything past that I think the fans would be happy with,” Clemson247’s Austin Hannon said recently on the Cover 3 College Football Summer School series. “But I think making the playoff and losing to an SEC team in the first round, I don’t think that that would be a win based on what they have coming back.”
Read the full article here
