In his second season as Clemson’s starter, Cade Klubnik has looked like a much different quarterback than he was last year.
Klubnik has come a long way since his sophomore campaign in 2023, and the huge strides he has made since then are showing up in his elite level of play through seven games so far this season.
Klubnik’s growth as a quarterback boils down to a couple of simple things, according to head coach Dabo Swinney, who spoke Tuesday about where he has seen the most development this year with the former five-star prospect from Texas.
“Taking care of the ball, good decision-making. I mean, it’s really that simple,” Swinney said. “Last year, just too many negative plays, and that’s just decision-making – whether it was run game, taking TFLs. He took too many sacks (which were) 100 percent on him. Obviously we had too many turnovers, fumbles in particular, by him. He wasn’t terrible throwing interceptions, but he had a few bad ones.
“He’s just been a much better decision-maker, and he’s cut down on all the avoidable negative plays and he’s taking care of the ball so much better. The game has just slowed down for him.”
Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney coaches quarterback Cade Klubnik during the second quarter Saturday October 11, 2024 at Allegacy Stadium in Winston Salem, NC. Bart Boatwright/The Clemson Insider
Last season in Year 1 as Clemson’s QB1, Klubnik completed 63.9 percent of his passes for 2,844 yards with 19 touchdown passes and nine interceptions. He also fumbled nine times in 12 regular season games, losing five of them.
Thus far this season, Klubnik has only fumbled once (no lost fumbles), while he has thrown just two interceptions in six games since the season opener against Georgia. He has taken just five sacks this year, compared to 28 sacks a season ago.
Heading into Saturday’s game vs. Louisville (7:30 p.m., ESPN), Klubnik has passed for 1,836 yards and 20 touchdowns, to go with 227 rushing yards and four more scores on the ground – already more rushing production than he had in 2023, when he ran for 182 yards and four touchdowns in 13 games.
Swinney pointed out that Klubnik taking advantage of his ability to run the ball is another big aspect of his development this year after he was, as Swinney put it, virtually a “non-factor” in the run game last year.
“He’s always had a lot of confidence in his ability to throw the ball, as we have. He’s a really gifted thrower,” Swinney said. “I’d say the other aspect is – and it’s part of what I was saying about decision-making – but using his legs. He was a non-factor for us last year, and he’s a fast kid. This kid can really, really run. But he was almost a 0. He was like a 2, and we only needed him to be a 5. And this year, he’s like an 8, and it’s just because he’s so much more opportunistic and patient.
“And that’s, again, a reflection of the game just has slowed down for him. Last year, he wanted to make every play… So, I just think his experience and managing the game and all those things, just his knowledge, his ownership of what we’re doing Year 2 has been the biggest thing.”
After leading Clemson to five straight wins to end the 2023 season, Klubnik currently has the 11th-ranked Tigers (6-1, 5-0 ACC) riding a six-game winning streak entering Saturday’s game vs. Louisville (5-3, 3-2) at Death Valley.
Klubnik’s maturity, both physically and mentally, has been key to his individual success and the success of Clemson’s offense overall.
“That just comes from experience,” Swinney said of Klubnik’s physical and mental maturity. “That’s just something you just have to go through things, you have to experience it. If you’ve got the right work ethic, and certainly you’ve got the talent to go with it, you get better.
“He’s got unbelievable work ethic, he’s a very smart kid, and he loves feedback. When you’re able to watch yourself and really see your mistakes, I think you can really grow. And you saw it in the year last year, he got better as the season went, he really finished well. I think that propelled him.”
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