CLEMSON — Clemson football quarterback Cade Klubnik is appreciative.
Klubnik is entering his fourth season with the Tigers after declining to enter the 2025 NFL Draft. He will finish his college career with Clemson, which isn’t the norm for most players in the transfer portal era.
After he had a shaky 2023 in his first full season as a starter that contributed to the Tigers missing the College Football Playoff for the third straight year, coach Dabo Swinney faced fan and media pressure to make a quarterback move via the portal. Yet Swinney and his staff stuck with Klubnik, and that decision meant the most to the veteran quarterback.
“It’s weird to look at my class of quarterbacks. They’re all over the place, and they’re bouncing around,” Klubnik said Monday. “No shame on them . . . transferring and everything.
“To be at a place where I didn’t even feel pressured that I had to leave, I’m just so thankful I chose here. It’s tough to be anxious about a season when you’re just thankful for where you’re at.”
Of the top 10 quarterbacks in the 2022 class, according to 247Sports, half have transferred, including two who have switched programs twice. Klubnik was rated as the top quarterback.
Swinney’s decision to stick with him paid dividends last season. Klubnik set career highs in passing yards (3,639), completions (308) and total touchdowns (43) to lead Clemson to its first ACC championship title since 2022 and its first CFP appearance since 2020.
Klubnik’s completions were the third-most in a season in Clemson history, trailing only Deshaun Watson (388 in 2016 and 333 in 2015). Klubnik’s 36 touchdown passes tied Tajh Boyd (2012) and Trevor Lawrence (2019) for the second-most touchdown throws in a season in program history.
Klubnik was confident, savvy and mobile last season, helping Clemson’s offense erupt after years of inconsistency. Entering his senior season, he wants to continue hitting on explosive plays while not forcing them.
“I had a pretty good year last year, but I want to be elite, and that’s consistency every game, every drive, every play,” said Klubnik, who currently has the third-best odds at winning the Heisman Trophy, according to FanDuel. “Fine-tuning the automatic plays . . . If you gotta hit them 80% of the time, hit them 100%.”
Clemson’s offense lost running back Phil Mafah and Jake Briningstool, but it added transfer wide receiver Tristan Smith, moved Adam Randall to running back and retained wide receivers Antonio Williams, Bryant Wesco Jr., T.J. Moore and Tyler Brown and four offensive line starters from 2024.
Add the fact Klubnik is entering Year 3 under offensive coordinator Garrett Riley, and Clemson is eyeing another season of offensive excellence in its pursuit of a national championship.
“We got a taste of (the CFP), but we want some more,” Klubnik said. “So, it was good to get that experience, for sure, and be great to set up next year.”
Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at dcarter@gannett.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00
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