At a time when top quarterbacks swapped wagons like it’s the new normal, Dabo Swinney’s quarterback Cade Klubnik chose to stay loyal to Clemson. That’s because he has some unfinished business. And what’s that? “I’m still hungry for what I know this program has…I came to Clemson to win a national championship. That’s still right here for me.” With the hunger so wild, you can guess that Klubnik is going to leave no stones unturned in 2025.
While the college football world goes gaga over Klubnik, there is Swinney who is yet to feel content about his quarterback. No, don’t get him wrong. Klubnik indeed made Swinney proud. But he wants him to be the best version of himself. “I mean, he wasn’t terrible. I know everybody was like, ‘Oh my god,” I say one critical thing. He’s had a really good spring. I didn’t think he was as sharp as he needed to be in that first scrimmage.” While Klubnik is yet to win the head coach’s heart fully, he has already wooed a top college football analyst.
On the June 17th episode of the College GameDay podcast, Pete Thamel and Rece Davis cooked up some interesting segments. One of them was, “Rece and Pete’s #5 QB.” That’s when ESPN’s Davis had put Klubnik in the No.3 spot. “Number three, I’m gonna go with the quarterback for my preseason number one team in the country, Cade Klubnik. Now, the one thing I want to see from Klubnik is to throw the ball down the field a little bit more. And I think they’re going to be able to do that with the improvements that they’ve made at receivers. Now he put up big numbers last year- 36 touchdowns, six interceptions. Really showed up in the playoff game against Texas, rallied Clemson in that game, got him back in it.”
Some of his best feats were against Appalachian State when he came up with 378 yards and 5 touchdowns, followed by 336 yards and 3 touchdowns against the Texas Longhorns. Plus, he is going to get the best protection now that Swinney has added two Top 10 wide receivers in college football- Antonio Williams and sophomore standout Bryant Wesco. Not just his stats, the 21-year-old’s off-season improvement is also giving some hope. There were way too many dangerous passes by the quarterback in 2024. Stats say there were 41 pass breakups (PBUs) in 14 games (2.93 per game average).
“I will admit that I was one of the guys going for a couple of years, not sure, I see it. I have a little skepticism, I’m not going to lie, a little skepticism, but I’m banking on physical maturity. You growing into the body, maybe a hint of arm strength here and there. We know he can run, we know he’s a competitor. Tone down some of that recklessness, some of the things that Kenny Dillingham was talking about with Sam Leavitt playing the boom box at the right volume, not being reckless with the football. If Klubnik does that and if his receivers mature, some of those young receivers, a couple of them that Clemson played a lot, especially last year, they mature, I’ve got I’m going to go Klubnik number three.”
Swinney’s quarterback is now training in California with renowned quarterback coach Jordan Palmer, one of the most respected private instructors in the game. Palmer, known for working with NFL stars like Joe Burrow, Josh Allen, and Patrick Mahomes. Plus, Klubnik is also taking part in joint sessions with his key receivers to foster the timing, trust, and rhythm. So, the expectations are already touching the roof for the quarterback.
Could Cade Klubnik help Dabo Swinney exit on a confetti-covered high?
Klubnik’s performance in the 2024 season opener is still fresh in the fans’ memories. He got stunted against Georgia and could only finish 18 out of 29 passes. And what about the touchdowns? ZERO. It’s only from Week 2 that he pulled out a totally different version of himself. Klubnik started to rain touchdowns on the gridiron. 5 touchdowns against Appalachian State, 3 against North Carolina State, and 4 against Stanford.
From 19 touchdowns in 2023 to 36 touchdowns in 2024, that’s what you call a real glow-up. That’s how he has picked up the craze. On the 247Sports show, the co-host came up with a question for the NFL legend-turned-analyst, Gerald V Dixon. “Could we see him [Klubnik] break the record for single-season passing TDs in the ACC?” For that, the quarterback will have to break the records of the former Pittsburgh Panthers QB Kenny Pickett, who broke the school’s single-season record for passing touchdowns with 42. And here came Dixon’s prediction for Swinney’s quarterback
“50, we have seen it before… 50 and a Heisman.” If in this process of hustle and bustle, Cade Klubnik ever runs short of energy, he must listen to Josh Pate’s take on the See Ball Get Ball with David Pollack podcast. Though said in half-jest, Pate is clearly looking forward to Swinney giving his best version and signing off. “Right on the national championship stage, confetti still raining down. You just say, thank you, good night, and throw that thing and just walk down a tunnel. And that’s the last we ever see of Dabo Swinney.” If the sun’s setting on Swinney’s Clemson run, it’s Klubnik’s job to make the twilight unforgettable.
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