Spring Break might be here, but Dabo Swinney isn’t letting Cade Klubnik off the hook. After calling out his QB for looking ‘checked out’ during Wednesday’s scrimmage, Swinney made it clear—Klubnik needs to lock in. And with Clemson aiming for a bounce-back season, there’s no room for distractions. So, the message is loud and clear—QB1 needs to step up, or Swinney won’t hesitate to explore other options.
On Thursday’s episode of ClemsonTigerNet, Dabo Swinney didn’t hold back in his post-scrimmage recap. He felt his quarterback lacked intensity in the friendly competition, and Swinney called it as he saw it, saying, “I didn’t think Cade had a good day today. I thought he was very average.” But he didn’t stop there, and he doubled down, adding, “I think he checked out. I think he’s already gone to Cabo or something. I don’t think he was ready to go today.“. It sounds like Klubnik conveyed to Swinney that he was mentally gone, picturing himself relaxing on a beach.
Look, over the course of 3 seasons, Cade Klubnik has established an amazing resume that demonstrates his worth as Clemson’s QB. He has thrown for 7,180 yards, completed 63.4% of his throws, and scored 57 touchdowns. In addition, he has received two ACC Title Game MVP awards. While all of that accomplishment raises the bar, Dabo Swinney was not pleased with Cadre’s poor scrimmage performance. As of now, with a club’s revival at stake, Klubnik cannot be sidelined, not even during practice.
However, why the poor performance? “Maybe it is because he did think he was going to get a lot of reps. So, I did not think he had his best day. He was not very focused,” stated Swinney in reference to his opinion. Sincerely, Swinney was interested in seeing what his QB2 could accomplish, but he also caught a glimpse of a QB1 who didn’t appear to be locked in. Actually, this scrimmage was intended to test backup Christopher Vizzina in a live environment rather than to rely on Klubnik. Thus, Vizzina received the majority of the first-team reps, while Klubnik took a backseat.
Just before Klubnik attempted to call for the ball, Vizzina, who is currently in his third season, grabbed his shot in a daring manner. Swinney threw him in now, and the rookie quarterback did not disappoint. “CV did some good stuff. He took his first drive down and scored. It was good to see CV take advantage,” remarked Swinney. Even though it wasn’t a perfect performance, Dabo Swinney had a lot to consider.
Since Klubnik is certain to start for Clemson, all eyes are on Vizzina, the Tigers’ future quarterback, as his growth is essential for 2025 and beyond. CV has also recorded modest numbers thus far, including 190 throwing yards and one rushing touchdown. However, it’s obvious that Clemson needs him prepared for his moment. Rece Davis also issues a warning that might derail the Tigers’ ambitions of winning the CFP while they work through their quarterback predicament.
Dabo Swinney’s CFP dreams are dangling by a thread
Right now, Dabo Swinney is arguably the luckiest coach in CFB. Recently, he has been attracting elite talent like it’s Black Friday. The irony, though, is that Clemson still faces a significant issue. The Tigers’ greatest vulnerability was examined by Rece Davis, Pete Thamel, and Bill Connelly on the March 13 episode of ESPN College Football. Pete wasn’t holding back either, pointing out Clemson’s inconsistent offensive line depth, which has been a persistent problem for them. To be honest, if the trenches don’t hold, the Tigers’ aspirations of making the CFP could be dashed, regardless of how many elite recruits Swinney signs.
Rece Davis then delivered a daring decision without sugarcoating it, stating, “Correct, relative—a relative problem. Even when they won national championships, I don’t know that even those national championship teams, you looked at and said, ‘Man, that offensive line.‘”
But Davis’ description of Clemson’s difficulties in the trenches was very clear, mentioning, “It was always sort of the playmakers compensating for a good offensive line. You know, I’m not saying they were bad—don’t, you know, don’t want Eric McLain mad at me or anything like that. But I’m not saying they were bad. They weren’t. But, I mean, like, overwhelmingly dominant first-round picks? You know, I don’t think that—they just weren’t that. They weren’t.”
For Clemson, the problem is not new as of yet. The Tigers’ offensive line was never outstanding, even when they were at their best. And that shortcoming might be the difference between a CFP run and another disappointment in today’s game. Let’s now evaluate how Dabo Swinney might strengthen Clemson’s offensive line in preparation for a 2025 CFP push.
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