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ACC Media Days: Clemson QB Cade Klubnik Says "A Lot of People Wanted Me Out"

Originally posted on College Football News
By Mathey Gibson | Last updated Jul 24, 2025 2:26 PM ET

Cade Klubnik isn’t shying away from the struggles that shaped his Clemson career.

Speaking during ACC Media Days on Thursday, the Tigers quarterback reflected on a critical moment after his sophomore season — one he says still fuels him.

“After my sophomore year, when a lot of people wanted me out at Clemson,” Klubnik said, “Coach Swinney pulled me into his office and told me, ‘Cade, I believe in you. Let’s go to work.’ That conversation has fueled me for the last two years.”

Cade Klubnik Enters 2025 With Confidence, Experience, and Momentum

Klubnik admitted that season was a turning point. There was growing doubt from fans and some around the program.

The former five-star recruit faced criticism for inconsistency and early growing pains. But Swinney never wavered.

“Having a coach like coach Swinney to lean on through everything, through the ups and the downs, has been unbelievable,” Klubnik said. “When everybody kinda told me I sucked and wasn’t very good... I’ll never forget that moment.”

Now a senior, Klubnik enters 2025 with 7,180 career passing yards, 57 touchdowns, and 18 interceptions across 2,137 snaps.

He’s also rushed for 784 yards and 13 touchdowns and owns a 19–9 record as Clemson’s starter.

He’s among the early Heisman Trophy favorites and leads a team poised to reassert itself in the national conversation.

For Klubnik, the past is personal. And so is the belief that he’s just getting started.

This article first appeared on College Football News and was syndicated with permission.

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