Cade Klubnik has a lot on his plate, no doubt. At the start of the 2024 season, it felt like he’d taken on too much, resulting in a shaky performance during Clemson’s opener against Georgia on August 31, 2024. His unsteady footwork had even shaken the confidence of Tigers fans. However, he bounced back, proving his mettle and emerging as a top quarterback nationally. So, halfway there. Heading into 2025, he simply needs to maintain that focus and take the next confident step forward. Head Coach Dabo Swinney seems to have things well in hand, and his $6 million investment looks promising.

Klubnik’s preparations for this season began early. He’d already decided against entering the 2025 NFL Draft, opting to return to Swinney’s team for his final year. Last season certainly tested his patience and skill. He didn’t throw at Clemson’s Pro Day after a somewhat inconsistent 2023. Perhaps that perceived slight fueled his growth throughout the rest of the season. Klubnik went on to rank third nationally in passing touchdowns (36) and threw for 3,639 yards. But heading into the 2025 Tigers’ first spring scrimmage, Swinney himself described his QB1’s performance as ‘very average’ that day, joking that his mind seemed to be in Cabo. That much-needed getaway to Cabo San Lucas clearly made a difference afterward.

Then came this year’s Pro Day, where the quarterback impressed with consistent throws, standing out as Clemson’s only participating skill-position player. Klubnik capped off the drills with a strong finish, connecting with tight end Jake Briningstool on a 45- to 50-yard pass. Now, the stage is set; Klubnik just needs to step up and deliver.

On the April 4th episode of the On3 podcast, analyst Andy Staples draws out what could be Klubnik’s future move. “Cade Klubnik was really really good down the stretch of last year. Clemson’s coming into a season where they have a season veteran at the position that may take a huge step forward. If Cade Klubnik takes a huge step forward from where he ended last year, we’re talking like first-round draft pick level of play here.” That’s where Swinney’s $6 million move in his coaching roster comes into play.

On January 14, 2025, the Tigers formally announced Tom Allen as their defensive coordinator. The 54-year-old coach had spent seven seasons as Indiana’s head coach before signing a three-year deal worth $6 million to replace Wes Goodwin in Clemson. Analyst Ari Wasserman seems to be hopeful about his coaching revamp. 

“They got the quarterback. They got young receivers they’re excited about. And they’re talented on defense. Now go back to that Texas game. They got dominated on the ground. That defense was bad.” In that game, the Tigers lost 38-24 to Steve Sarkisian’s squad. So, now Wasserman is all pumped to find out what difference Allen makes in the defense.

Well, history hints at some positives. Indiana’s defense allowed 10.4 fewer points per game and gave up 25 fewer touchdowns in one year under his leadership. Plus, under Allen, Penn State finished seventh in the nation in total defense (294.8 yards per game) and eighth in the nation in scoring defense (16.5 points per game). With a top-notch defensive mind on the staff, Klubnik is clearly putting in the work to elevate his own offensive game to ‘elite’ status and boost Clemson overall.

Cade Klubnik is gearing up for a historic farewell tour

Swinney’s quarterback is all set to hit the accelerator to sweep through his last chapter in college football. For this, he keeps on pushing himself to be the best. After all, he knows how the expectations are as high as they have been for the Tigers since the days of Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence. In an interview with 247Sports, Klubnik confessed, “I think that I had a pretty good year last year, but I want to be elite—that’s consistency in every game, every drive, every play. I have a very high standard for myself, and I want to continue to chase that.” 

Now, will he be successful in his attempt? The big question that the QB has to answer is, “Could we see him break the record for single-season passing TDs in the ACC?” With 42 passing touchdowns in a single season, former Pittsburgh Panthers quarterback Kenny Pickett set the current record. That’s when former Cleveland Browns star Gerald V Dixon pitched in. 

On the 247Sports show, the co-host dished out a question for Dixon. “So, more than 42 touchdowns for Cade Klubnik in 2025?” And the ex-Browns star did not think twice before confidently claiming, “50, we have seen it before… 50 and a Heisman.” While the quarterback is yet to prove Dixon right, he’s geared up to tackle the first of many ‘lasts.’ April 5 will be his final Orange & White Spring Game as a Clemson Tiger. If dreams have a deadline, let’s hope Cade hits every single one before the clock runs out.