"Any Time You Get an Opportunity to Yell" – Swinney Pushes Klubnik during Spring

Clemson's final tune-ups before the annual spring game on April 5 have given head coach Dabo Swinney plenty to evaluate. And when it comes to senior quarterback Cade Klubnik, Swinney made one thing clear after the Tigers’ second scrimmage of the spring—he expects more, because Klubnik has earned that standard.

"He was good. He bounced back,” Swinney said. “I mean, he wasn't terrible (in the first scrimmage). I know everybody’s—‘Oh my God,’ if I say one critical thing, it's like, jeez almighty. I mean, he's had a really good spring.”

Clemson enters 2025 with continuity under center after Klubnik put together a breakout junior season, throwing for 3,639 yards and 36 touchdowns while adding 463 rushing yards and seven scores on the ground. The Tigers rode that production to the newly expanded 12-team College Football Playoff before falling to Texas, 38-24, in the opening round. But after a first scrimmage that Swinney felt was below Klubnik’s usual standard, the veteran quarterback responded the way his coach expected.

"I didn't think he was as sharp as he needed to be in that first scrimmage,” Swinney said. “There were just a couple of things that I just expect of him at this stage. Two years ago, I might not have said anything, but at this point—he's got to be a coach on the field for us.”

That mindset is why Klubnik remains central to Clemson’s championship aspirations in 2025. With his production, experience, and command of Garrett Riley’s offense, he has developed into a leader Swinney isn’t afraid to push.

"Any time you get an opportunity to yell at some of those guys, it's great,” Swinney said with a smile. “He doesn't give you a lot of opportunity, so take advantage of it when you get a chance to really coach those best players hard.”

Fortunately for Clemson, those moments are rare. Klubnik answered the challenge with a sharper performance in the second scrimmage, finishing 5-of-7 while executing what Swinney called a "good couple of days" leading up to the spring game.

Clemson fans will get their own look at Klubnik and the Tigers’ progress in Death Valley on April 5, when the team takes the field for one last spring showcase before the summer grind begins.