Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik is certainly grateful to have Dabo Swinney as his head coach.

Now entering his senior season with the Tigers, Klubnik reflected on what it means to him to be coached by Swinney.

“It’s unbelievable,” Klubnik said at the 2025 ACC Football Kickoff in Charlotte. “So, so thankful to Coach Swinney, gave me the opportunity to come to Clemson. Looking back on the last three and a half years and going into my last season, just kind of brings my heart a lot of joy.”

A former five-star prospect from Texas, Klubnik has had his highs and lows over the last three years at Clemson. But through it all, Swinney has stood behind Klubnik and been by his side.

“My recruiting process was a little wild,” Klubnik said. “Man, God is so good. The fact that he got to bring me to Clemson and take me through what He’s brought me through, it’s been so good. And to have a coach like Coach Swinney to lean on through everything, through the ups and the downs, has been unbelievable. To have somebody that believes in me.”

Klubnik recalled a crucial conversation he had with Swinney, coming off a sophomore season in 2023 during which Klubnik experienced his share of struggles and adversity. Despite that, Swinney made it clear he had faith in Klubnik and believed in him to be the leader of the program moving forward from there.

That conversation with Swinney helped Klubnik get his confidence back.

“After my sophomore year, when everybody kind of told me I sucked and wasn’t very good, a lot of people wanted me out of Clemson,” Klubnik said. “Coach Swinney pulled me into his office and told me, Cade, I believe in you, and let’s go to work.

“For somebody that I look up to and believe in tell me that, that he believes in me, just filled me with confidence. When he could have gone and done what a lot of other coaches would do but didn’t and pulled me in tight and said I believe in you, I’ll never forget that moment. That conversation has fueled me for the last two years.”

Klubnik responded to that faith from Swinney with a breakout junior season in 2024, when he completed 63.4 percent of his passes for 3,639 yards and 36 touchdowns with six interceptions, while rushing for 463 yards and seven more scores on the ground.

Klubnik was one of two quarterbacks in the country to throw for more than 3,500 yards and run for 400 last season. Klubnik also finished second nationally in total touchdowns with 43. He was third nationally in touchdown passes with 36, and his six interceptions were second fewest among quarterbacks who threw 28 or more touchdown passes in 2024.

Now, Klubnik is widely considered one of the best quarterbacks, if not the best, in college football entering the 2025 campaign. He’s viewed as a 2025 Heisman Trophy candidate and 2026 first-round NFL Draft prospect, with ESPN draft analyst Jordan Reid even projecting him to be the No. 1 overall pick in next year’s draft.

As he gears up for one more go-round with the Tigers, Klubnik is happy that he made the decision to play for Swinney and Clemson.

“So thankful for my time at Clemson,” he said, “and it’s been really awesome.”