Clemson’s Quarterback Dilemma: Klubnik’s Regression and the Vizzina Question
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Clemson football’s biggest question right now is at the most critical and consequential position—quarterback. Cade Klubnik, once the top-rated quarterback in the 2022 class according to On3, hasn’t developed into the steady leader Clemson fans hoped he would be.
Entering his final season in Tiger Town, Klubnik was the darling of college football pundits. The thought was that he had developed into a prospect worth being the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft, according to some, but a slow start has people wondering if it’s time to turn the page.
The result? A quarterback room that feels unsettled, both in the present and for the future.
Klubnik’s career arc tells the story clearly.
- 2022 (Freshman): 61-of-100, 697 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT (61.0%)
- 2023 (Sophomore): 290-of-454, 2,844 yards, 19 TD, 9 INT (63.9%)
- 2024 (Junior): 308-of-486, 3,639 yards, 36 TD, 6 INT (63.4%)
- 2025 (Senior, so far): 89-of-148, 996 yards, 6 TD, 4 INT (60.1%)
Instead of building on last year’s 36-touchdown season, Klubnik has slipped back toward the efficiency of his freshman and sophomore campaigns. His completion percentage (60.1%) and passer rating (124.6) this year are his lowest since 2022.
Just as concerning, his ability as a runner — once considered a difference-maker — has faded. In 2024, Klubnik ran 119 times for 463 yards and seven scores. This season? Just 34 carries for 60 yards — a drop from 3.9 yards per attempt to an anemic 1.8. That regression has ripple effects.
When your starting quarterback isn’t elevating the offense, the spotlight naturally shifts to the backup.
Vizzina was a consensus top-10 quarterback in the 2023 class. His classmates include Arch Manning (Texas), Dante Moore (Oregon), and Jackson Arnold (Auburn). Many of them are already starting and producing, or at least have had opportunities to prove themselves. Granted, the transfer portal has also been a part of Moore and Arnold’s story.
Let’s be honest, Vizzina chose Clemson and has stayed put. That in itself is remarkable. In an era when quarterbacks change schools almost annually, Vizzina is one of the few top prospects from his class, along with Manning, still at his original program.
But loyalty only goes so far if there are no snaps to show for it.
Last season, Vizzina completed just 19-of-34 passes for 190 yards, with no touchdowns and no interceptions. He added 68 rushing yards and one touchdown. That’s his entire résumé, and this year he’s yet to attempt a pass.
That lack of opportunity has led some to question whether Vizzina is ready — or whether the staff believes he’s capable. If he were elite, wouldn’t he have been given more of a chance by now?
We all watched Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence dazzle as freshmen. Vizzina is in this third season. Shouldn’t he be ready? Especially given the struggles we’ve seen on offense.
Additionally, if Clemson doesn’t start working him into games, the Tigers run the risk of entering 2026 — and a massive opener at LSU — with a quarterback who has almost no real experience.
Some fans have asked: Why didn’t Clemson pursue a transfer quarterback? The answer is straightforward if you are being honest with yourself. No top transfer was going to come to Clemson to sit behind Klubnik. But with Klubnik entrenched as “the guy,” there was never a realistic chance of luring a proven starter through the portal.
That leaves the Tigers with their current situation: Klubnik struggling to find consistency, Vizzina waiting for a real opportunity, and little proven experience behind them.
The upcoming matchup at North Carolina looms large. If Klubnik struggles there or if the offense sputters through another pair of scoreless drives or costly turnovers, you have to see what Vizzina can do. At the very least, he needs meaningful reps this fall.
At some point, the staff has to decide whether Klubnik can carry Clemson where it wants to go. If the answer is no, then the rest of 2025 should be about building for the future.
In my opinion, Clemson can’t afford to walk into Baton Rouge in 2026 with another quarterback dilemma. The Tigers could certainly use the portal this offseason if needed, but for now, the decision has to be made — ride out Klubnik’s rollercoaster or start preparing Vizzina.
