‘We Never Flinched’: Klubnik on Bouncing Back from Georgia Loss

Saturday evening in Clemson’s Death Valley, Cade Klubnik came to life. The Austin, Texas native put together a performance for the ages, becoming the first quarterback in college football in 25 seasons to pass for five touchdowns and rush for two scores while completing over 90 percent of his passes in a single game.

In a 66-20 rout over Appalachian State, Klubnik exhibited the leadership and playmaking ability that head coach Dabo Swinney had promised would come with time.

Klubnik was electric, leading the Tigers to a program-record 525 yards of total offense and 56 points in the first half alone. His stat line was nearly perfect—completing 24-of-26 passes for 378 yards, with touchdowns of 76, 41, 29, 33, and 17 yards, all in the first half. 

"Yeah, I mean, it's electric," Klubnik said postgame. "It's what we've been doing all fall camp, and obviously just got to go do that now, and it was really fun. It's fun to let the ball fly, and we've got a lot of dudes that can go do it."

It was a statement win not only for Klubnik but also for a Clemson offense that had been heavily criticized following their season-opening 34-3 loss to No. 1 Georgia.

Klubnik, however, never wavered, and neither did his teammates. His seven first-half touchdowns helped the Tigers pile up 712 total yards, the sixth-most in school history, while averaging an eye-popping 9.8 yards per play.

"We never flinched the whole week," Klubnik added. "We came back hungry, and this team has been through a lot last year. We've learned how to respond to that. So it was a perfect way to respond."

Swinney, who had been vocal about his belief in Klubnik throughout fall camp, was equally proud of his quarterback’s growth.

"That's what he can do," Swinney said after the game. "I don't expect him to have seven touchdowns and a half every week, but he can lead. He can spin it. He can make all the throws. It's good to see him have a couple of rushing touchdowns as well. I thought that was great, but I'm just really proud of him."

Swinney's words echo the sentiment he expressed earlier in the year, when questions loomed about Klubnik’s ability to rebound from a rocky 2023 season. In the early weeks of fall camp, Swinney urged patience, pointing out that great quarterbacks are rarely perfect in their first year as starters.

“I mean, he's a first-year starter, and we are just so quick to crucify people, if they're not some Johnny All-American the first time they step on the field,” Swinney said in August. “Guys get better, and it's a developmental game. If you're made of the right stuff, and you gotta have the talent, the right type of character, football character, work ethic, will to improve, then you're gonna get better, and he's got all that."

Klubnik’s response to adversity was never more evident than in the aftermath of Clemson's tough loss to Georgia. Swinney was quick to defend his quarterback's decision-making in that game, noting that while the final score was lopsided, there were moments Klubnik could learn from and build upon.

"A game like that—those are tough games for sure—but I think it's how you grow your team, how you teach them," Swinney reflected after Saturday's win. "Our guys were really disappointed, but they took some confidence from that game. If we could improve in certain areas, then we got a chance to be a really good football team."

With a bye week looming, Clemson has the opportunity to rest and regroup before their next contest against NC State on Sept. 21. But if Saturday’s performance is any indication, the Tigers’ offense, under Klubnik's leadership, could be on the verge of something special. His poise and precision against App State was a big step towards silencing critics while reaffirming Swinney’s faith in his quarterback.

After the opening game loss to the top-ranked Bulldogs, Swinney noted that he saw a lot of improvement for Klubnik—even in a loss—and his words seemed to come to fruition on Saturday.

“I think he's gonna come away from it with seeing some good stuff and some confidence. It's not always what you see sometimes with progress. I know everybody will just point at the scoreboard and this and that. But it's not always what you see, and as coaches, we know that.”

As Klubnik continues to develop, the question isn't whether he can lead Clemson back to national prominence—it's how far he can take them. If his historic performance this weekend is any sign, the ceiling for both Klubnik and Clemson just got a whole lot higher. 

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