Cade Klubnik grateful for Dabo Swinney's support - 'People wanted me out of Clemson' - ESPN

CLEMSON, S.C. — Cade Klubnik read the comments on social media.

He heard the chatter around him, about how he simply wasn't good enough to be the starting quarterback for the Clemson Tigers. He heard fans clamoring for coach Dabo Swinney to tap the transfer portal and find a quality replacement.

It was all coming to a head after Klubnik's sophomore season in 2023, a year in which the Tigers struggled early but closed with five straight wins to finish 9-4. While that might be considered a good season for some schools, it was a down year for Clemson, snapping a streak of 12 straight double-digit-win seasons and leaving the Tigers out of the College Football Playoff for the second straight year.

There were questions about whether Clemson's run was over, and much of the blame fell on Klubnik's shoulders after throwing just 19 touchdown passes with nine interceptions that season.

«Everybody kind of told me I sucked, and wasn't very good,» Klubnik said. «A lot of people wanted me out of Clemson.»

About two weeks after the Tigers' 38-35 win over Kentucky in the Gator Bowl, Klubnik was still relatively uncertain about his status at Clemson and that's when Swinney called Klubnik into his office and put any speculation about his future to rest.

As he sat across from Klubnik, Swinney told him directly: «I believe in you.»

«To have somebody that I look up to and believe in, tell me that he believes in me, it just filled me with confidence,» Klubnik said. «He could have gone and done what a lot of other coaches would do [and find a transfer quarterback], but he didn't.»"

Klubnik called it a moment in life he'll never forget. He left Swinney's office more confident than ever, and eager to reward his coach for the faith he showed in