Cade Klubnik explains decision to return to Clemson

The Clemson Tigers are going into the 2025 season with high expectations. That comes on the heels of a trip to the College Football Playoff and the news that starting quarterback Cade Klubnik would be returning for his senior season.

With spring practice underway, Klubnik shared that he did get feedback from the NFL. However, his decision to return was one that he was excited about from the start.

“I definitely got some feedback,” Klubnik said. “But I think that I knew that I wanted to come back. It was the right decision, and I’m looking forward to this next year. So, I’m excited.”

Cade Klubnik originally came to Clemson as a five-star recruit in the Class of 2022, according to the On3 Industry Ranking. He was the top-ranked quarterback in that recruiting class. In his freshman season, Klubnik would largely sit behind DJ Uiagalelei before taking over late in the season. He hasn’t looked back since then.

In 2024, he would lead Clemson to an ACC Championship and a trip to the College Football Playoff. That was on the back of completing 63.4% of his passes for the season for 3,639 yards and 36 touchdowns. He also rushed for 463 yards and another seven touchdowns.

For head coach Dabo Swinney, there was never any doubt in his mind that Klubnik would return for the 2025 season. So, when Swinney was asked about his reaction to Klubnik’s return, he was relatively dismissive about having a reaction at all.

“Didn’t have a reaction, because I knew he was coming back, so there was never any doubt that he was coming back,” Swinney said. “So there really was no reaction. It was just, it was, I mean, I knew he was coming back. I mean, it just speaks to the culture here, I mean, we’ve had seismic changes in college football the last few years. I mean, like in the history of the game, and I think we’ve been top in the country, you know, top couple (of teams) in the country the last two years, in retention.”

“So, I mean, I think it kind of answers itself. It’s not like we lock them in a room here and tell them they can’t ever leave. These guys leave anytime they want, you know? I think we’re relationship-driven, we’re purpose-driven, and the kids … it also speaks to how we do things on the front end. There’s a transaction, but it’s not transactional here, which is not, I mean, it’s relationships. And, you know, we’ve created an environment where the kids can calculate a cost and a consequence of leaving. You know, there’s value in being here, there’s value in the place, there’s value in the people. And that’s not easy to have.”

There was an opportunity for Klubnik to enter the NFL Draft. This year’s group of quarterbacks is headlined by Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward, though there are several other notable names who Klubnik would have been competing against for attention from scouts. As he noted, he even put in for feedback. However, with the information available, he decided to return.

In the modern game, the option to transfer is always there. However, as the starter at Clemson, he also didn’t seem to entertain the idea of looking for a new program to play for either. Instead, he’s ready to lead the Tigers for his fourth year in college football.