“And my number 1 quarterback going into next season in 2025 is Cade Klubnik.” No, those aren’t our words; they belong to Joel Klatt, a voice not known for throwing out compliments lightly. When someone whose praise is rarer than a Vanderbilt win over Alabama singles you out, it carries weight. “I’m a big believer in Clemson,” Klatt adds, “mainly because I think Cade Klubnik is gonna be the best quarterback in college football.” When the identity of a team begins to mirror that of one player, you start to understand the significance of who that player is.
The hype around Klubnik is not automatic. He built it piece by piece, pass by pass. After a bumpy 2023 that saw him as the reason for the Tigers’ 52nd rank, Klubnik responded in 2024 with a breakout campaign. He silenced doubters with sharper reads, deeper throws, and a calmness under pressure that made analysts like Tyler Nohe label him “the most improved QB in the country.” Now, entering 2025, he’s expected to transcend the benchmark he has set.
For Klubnik, delivering means etching his name alongside Clemson royalty. From the moment he stepped into Death Valley, he had a clear goal: to win the national championship. He wanted to join the club of Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence, embedding his name in the books of Death Valley. He watched DJ Uiagalelei come up short of that standard and eventually replaced him in the ACC Championship. Now, with one last ride left, Klubnik knows the bar. It’s not about making the playoffs. It’s not about just winning the ACC. It’s about hoisting the trophy that Watson and Lawrence held and proving that he belongs in that exclusive club.
But that’s not the only thing he wants. “I came to Clemson to win one, and it’d be really cool,” Klubnik said to On3, before adding something that hits even deeper. “But I think more than anything, I want to be remembered for the person I was off the field as well, and the impact that I had on people. Because I think that’s going to carry on for a long time, too. To do both of those would be really awesome.”
But let’s not mistake that humility for complacency. The prep for the natty has already begun, and LSU will be the first one to witness Klubnik’s wrath. He has already started preparing for the showdown against LSU on Labor Day Weekend in Death Valley. Film study begins next week. There’s no easing in this time.
LSU comes in as a heavyweight threat, but Klubnik’s focus is unwavering. With national title ambitions, Heisman chatter swirling, and expectations higher than ever, it’s Cade Klubnik’s shot at immortality in Tiger Town. And if his words and work ethic are any indication, he’s aiming to leave the Tiger books with a chapter of his own. And week 1 will be his ultimate litmus test.
The ultimate litmus test for Klubnik
The Clemson vs. LSU clash in Week 1 is the early measuring stick for Dabo Swinney’s 2025 campaign. It pits two elite quarterbacks, Cade Klubnik and Garrett Nussmeier. And this game could swing the national narrative. While Nussmeier enters with No. 1 overall pick buzz, Klubnik shares space with the LSU QB in the Heisman conversation. But the pressure is heavier on Clemson’s shoulders. For Klubnik, it’s about proving his ceiling is real. For Swinney, it’s about reestablishing his program as a top-tier powerhouse.
“If LSU goes into Death Valley, the Clemson Death Valley, this fall and wins that game convincingly in week one, I think there’s going to be some pretty negative talk around Dabo Swinney and his program,” analyst Josh Hannon warned. It’s a sentiment that echoes louder with each passing offseason where Clemson fails to return to the national title game. This one’s at home. This one’s got hype. And this one carries expectations, especially after the Tigers dropped a home game to Louisville last year.
With Klubnik chasing the legacy of Watson and Lawrence and Swinney trying to write his next great chapter, the stakes will be higher than ever before. Beat LSU, and Clemson sends a warning shot to the rest of college football. Lose big, and the questions won’t stop until December.
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