Clemson QB Cade Klubnik shares what Dabo Swinney said to him during his struggles in 2023, the Tigers' mentality entering '25, and facing LSU at home.

Clemson football's quarterback Cade Klubnik isn’t wasting energy trading words with LSU head coach Brian Kelly. When asked about Kelly’s latest jab — calling Clemson’s Memorial Stadium “ Death Valley Junior ” during a Rotary Club event in Baton Rouge — Klubnik kept his response short.

Confidence is an important trait for any football player, but awareness might be just as valuable. Klubnik’s ability to reflect and put his career into perspective suggests that the Tigers have a mature signal-caller who’s ready to help this team contend for a National Championship.

LSU was able to dominate Clemson for a 42-25 victory with a strong performance by quarterback Joe Burrow. The former LSU star player completed 31 of 49 passes for 463 yards and five touchdowns to help the team achieve its fourth national championship.

Josh Pate isn’t shy about making bold calls—and he just made one that should get Clemson fans buzzing.

The five-member panel of Paul Myerberg, Erick Smith, Eddie Timanus, Jordan Mendoza and Blake Toppmeyer gave Klubnik the edge as the No. 1 quarterback in the nation entering 2025 over Allar and Manning. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

Clemson had an up-and-down 2024 season en route to its first College Football Playoff appearance since 2020. The Tigers hope to return to the mountaintop of college football with 16 returning starters in 2025.

Clemson QB Cade Klubnik just had the third-largest single-season PFF passing grade improvement among Power Four QBs since 2018, rocketing into elite company alongside NFL stars like Joe Burrow and Jayden Daniels.