While many wondered, Cade Klubnik waited.

When Klubnik signed with the Tigers in December 2021 as Dabo Swinney’s next blue-chip quarterback prospect, the question posed by many outside of Clemson’s football program lingered: How long until Klubnik takes over as QB1?

Klubnik had all the credentials that made for plenty of hype. A 30-0 record as a starter at Westlake High, which competes in Texas’ 6A classification. A 70% completion rate for his prep career. MaxPreps High School Player of the Year. Five-star recruit.

Klubnik now has the distinction as the top quarterback on Clemson’s depth chart, but he bided his time. His start against Tennessee in the Orange Bowl later this month will be the first of the true freshman’s college career.

“I think that’s one of the biggest things I’ve learned over the past six months is just patience,” Klubnik said.

Even for a newcomer with the kind of accolades that accompanied Klubnik to Clemson, being a Day 1 starter in major college football is a tall order. Klubnik arrived as the backup but was behind an experienced starter in D.J. Uiagalelei, who was 11-4 as a starter entering his junior season.

Uiagalelei had also struggled as a sophomore, throwing more interceptions (10) than touchdown passes (9). Clemson’s coaches, including Swinney, voiced optimism during the offseason that Uiagalelei would get it turned around, but it came with the understanding that he had to prove it once the games started.

Uiagalelei did that through the first half of the season, throwing 14 touchdowns and just two picks through the first games. His strong start was highlighted by a 371-yard, five-touchdown passing performance in the Tigers’ double-overtime win at Wake Forest.

Still, Swinney and offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter talked regularly about wanting to find opportunities to get Klubnik some game experience, though that was difficult to do given the rhythm the offense was in under Uiagalelei’s direction at the time. Klubnik played in just four of Clemson’s first seven games and didn’t get more than 11 snaps in any of those appearances.

Then came the Syracuse debacle in late October. Uiagalelei committed a season-high three turnovers in two and a half quarters, and the Tigers, trailing by as many as 14 at one point, faced an 11-point midway through the third quarter.

Uiagalelei was out, and Klubnik was in for his most extended game reps at the time. He was only asked to throw four passes on a day in which Clemson ran for a season-high 293 yards, but Klubnik and the rest of the offense stayed away from turnovers long enough to rally for a six-point victory.

“Kind of my mindset was if my opportunity comes next week, next play or three years from now, I’ll try to be ready by then,” Klubnik said.

Uiagalelei’s benching was temporary until things came to a head earlier this month in the ACC title game against North Carolina. Uiagalelei had two ineffective drives to start the game, and Klubnik made his first appearance on the Tigers’ third possession.

Swinney revealed afterward the plan all along was to insert Klubnik at that point and see what happened. What ensued was a touchdown drive on which Klubnik completed his first five pass attempts, including a capper to tight end Davis Allen in the back of the end zone. Klubnik never came out, finishing 20 of 24 passing for 279 yards. He accounted for two scores and no turnovers in Clemson’s 39-10 rout.

It earned Klubnik his first career start later this month. And when Uiagalelei entered the transfer portal two days later, an era that may have taken longer than some expected to arrive was born.

“That’s one thing I’ve been learning is just trusting God’s plan with that,” Klubnik said. “His timing is always bigger than mine. So be able to just trust it and just knowing that I’m not in control. Just being able to be patient. That’s really what I’ve learned is just keep my head down and work every day.”

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