This week, a national outlet published anonymous quotes from ACC coaches about each team in the league heading into the 2025 season.

The commentary on Clemson in an article by Athlon Sports includes one anonymous ACC coach saying, “This is the year we find out if Dabo [Swinney] and his culture can survive in the new era of this game.”

“Two years ago, we put on the tape, and it felt like, wow, their best days are behind them because of the shift in personnel and the stance against NIL. You saw it right away, especially at position groups like receiver where they used to dominate,” the coach said, via Athlon Sports. “Now they’re getting better; you’re seeing more talent than the last couple years.”

Of course, Clemson is led offensively by star quarterback Cade Klubnik, who is widely considered a Heisman Trophy candidate and one of the best, if not the best, quarterback in the country entering 2025 after his breakout 2024 campaign.

One anonymous coach believes the Tigers will go as far as Klubnik takes them this season, in his third year as a starter and third under offensive coordinator Garrett Riley.  

“How good is Cade [Klubnik], really? His ceiling defines their limit as a program,” the ACC coach said, via Athlon. “You should see a big jump as Riley’s playbook expands with him.”

Another ACC coach added that the Tigers “need a big season” from Klubnik to be “the old Clemson that charges through the league.”

As for the defensive side of the ball, one anonymous coach expects an improved Clemson unit under new defensive coordinator Tom Allen.

Allen, who has 33 years of coaching experience on his resume, joined Swinney’s staff in January after most recently leading a Penn State defense that helped guide the Nittany Lions to the semifinal round of the College Football Playoff last season.

“Defensively, they’ve improved by bringing in [Tom] Allen because he knows how to coach high-end talent and be disruptive,” the coach said.