Cade Klubnik might have been on the field Wednesday, but his head? That was already sipping piña coladas on a beach somewhere. At least, that’s how Dabo Swinney saw it. Clemson’s head coach didn’t hold back after the team’s first full spring scrimmage, calling out his starting quarterback for a lackluster performance. With spring break still days away, Swinney expected his QB1 to be locked in, commanding the offense with precision. Instead, he saw an unfocused leader—one whose mind had already packed its bags. “I did not think Cade had a good day today,” Swinney said bluntly. “I thought he was very average. I think he was checked out.” That’s not exactly the kind of review you want from the guy running the program, especially when the Tigers are banking on Klubnik to take a major leap forward this season.
That’s not the kind of showing you’d expect from a Heisman-worthy Klubnik, especially after those lingering doubts about his consistency, and Wednesday didn’t exactly clear things up. Clemson’s offense, once the gold standard of college football, has struggled to regain its footing in the post-Trevor Lawrence era. Because while Dabo wasn’t thrilled with his starter’s focus, he was downright uneasy about the Tigers’ depth at quarterback and beyond.
Clemson Tigers insider Morgan Thomas put it plainly on Locked On Clemson, Klubnik’s struggles aren’t the only thing keeping Swinney up at night. “Dabo’s holding that standard, and you gotta like that as a Clemson fan,” Thomas said. “But he didn’t mince words about the young quarterbacks [cornerbacks] either; he said facts are that they’re not ready. And they’re Clemson’s biggest problem right now. [Tavoy] Feagin not ready, [Corian] Gipson not ready. He said every area needs work, not just one single area.” That’s a sobering reality check. Clemson’s defense has long been the backbone of the program, but Swinney made it clear that these young defensive backs have a long way to go before they can be counted on.
The message was loud and clear: the Tigers need more out of their next wave of talent, and they need it fast. The big question is whether Dabo Swinney’s comments were purely frustration or a calculated attempt to light a fire under his young players. Thomas speculated on that very point. “Now I’m trying to read through the lines here to see if he’s just trying to motivate these guys a little bit more,” he said. “Maybe he felt like they were a little bit undisciplined, allowing for some bigger plays, or you know, if he’s just trying to kind of build of those guys to push themselves even further because he knows he needs more depth at the cornerback position.”
Well, that kind of push wouldn’t be surprising. Swinney has always been a coach who believes in public accountability, using press conferences to send messages that echo through the locker room. But motivation or not, Clemson’s secondary is shaping up to be a serious concern, and with Klubnik’s development still uncertain, the margin for error is razor-thin. The good news? Backup quarterback Christopher Vizzina got a chance to show what he could do, and he made the most of it—sort of.
With Cade Klubnik struggling, the scrimmage became an opportunity to evaluate Vizzina with the first-team offense. Dabo Swinney noted that the young QB led a scoring drive early, but there was an asterisk attached. “CV did some good stuff. He took his first drive down and scored,” Swinney said. “Now that was the benefit of a real stupid penalty by one of our DBs. He got an unsportsmanlike (penalty) so that gave them new life and they went down and scored.” That’s not exactly a ringing endorsement, but at least Vizzina showed flashes. The bigger question is whether he’s ready to push Klubnik for real playing time. If the starter isn’t laser-focused, that conversation could start sooner than expected.
The defensive side of the field remains a work in progress, but Swinney has seen this movie before. Clemson’s defense has been its saving grace in recent years, but with so many young players stepping into bigger roles, the early returns aren’t promising. That’s why Swinney’s tone was sharper than usual.
Cade Klubnik’s mind is in Cabo?
Spring Break may not have officially started for Clemson, but in Dabo Swinney’s world, it sure looked like some players had already checked out—especially quarterback Cade Klubnik. “I think he was already in Cabo or something,” Swinney joked after practice. “Maybe he thought he wasn’t going to get many reps, but he wasn’t locked in.”
While Swinney delivered his comment with a touch of humor, the frustration was real. Klubnik’s lack of focus stood out in a practice where the defense dominated, forcing multiple turnovers. If there was a bright spot, it was the defense’s red-zone play, which Swinney had high praise for: “I thought our defense was outstanding in the red zone.”
The offense? Not so much. Turnovers were a huge problem, and Swinney wasn’t pleased. “We were too careless with the football on offense.” With Spring Break officially kicking off, Clemson won’t return to practice until March 24, leaving plenty of time for players to hit the reset button. Then, come April 5th, it’s the big Orange & White spring game. So, after the break, will they come back sharp, or will those same old issues still be hanging around?
The post Feelings on Dabo Swinney’s Cade Klubnik Callout Cleared as Clemson’s ‘Biggest Problem’ Revealed appeared first on EssentiallySports.