Ashleigh Snyder
Quarterback Cade Klubnik played his best game of the season against North Carolina.
Which Cade will we see today?
Throughout Cade Klubnik’s career, this question has consistently loomed over the senior signal caller — a representation of his unpredictable play. The two-faced quarterback came into the season a Heisman candidate after almost knocking off Texas in last year’s College Football Playoff and playing at a superstar level earlier in the season. But for the first three games of 2025, Klubnik’s play resembled that of a shaky freshman, timid in every action.
Clemson looked to have all the pieces of the puzzle for a national championship team coming in, including its third-year starter under center. However, his performance in the LSU loss left everyone to question: What happened to the quarterback we saw against Texas?
Even head coach Dabo Swinney recognized that this Klubnik was not the same player. Cade “did not play as well as he is capable of,” Swinney said following a 17-10 loss against LSU.
His second, third and fourth starts showed more of the same. Through the first four games, Klubnik tallied 996 yards, six touchdowns, four interceptions and, most importantly, a 1-3 record — a far cry from a Heisman performance. So much so that some people, who deemed the quarterback close to the second coming and ready to bring Clemson back to the top, questioned if he should be benched in favor of backup Christopher Vizzina.
That narrative held until he travelled to Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Staring down the best defensive mind football has ever seen on the opposite sideline, Klubnik walked onto the field, a shadow of disappointment looming. However, he decided it was time to play up to the preseason expectations. Klubnik had his best game of the season, throwing for 254 yards and four touchdowns with 91.7% completion.
It was a game that a Heisman candidate would have. Swinney had nothing but praise for his starting quarterback.
“I thought our quarterback played by far his best game of the year,” Swinney said after the win. “It was really good to see that. Cade, he was awesome — 22 of 24 and just really poised in the pocket and just great command. It was good to see him have that type of game.”
Although Klubnik had his get-right game, Clemson fans are afraid to jump the gun. This hasn’t been the first time the quarterback put up superstar numbers only to transform back into an unconfident and timid signal caller.
Klubnik joins his teammates to travel to Boston College to take on the Eagles, but what No. 2 will look like behind center remains unknown — a shell or a superstar.