Dabo Swinney shares if Clemson will bring in QB from transfer portal

Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik has had an up-and-down season in 2023 as the Tigers have dropped four games in the regular season for the first time since 2010.

Despite that, Clemson has no plans to bring in a quarterback from the transfer portal to compete with Klubnik, according to Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney.

“We talk about that at every position, but we like the guys we have. And we like who’s coming,” Dabo Swinney said Tuesday. “So we feel pretty good about the direction that we have there.”

Cade Klubnik will enter the 2024 season as the Clemson starting quarterback and will be backed up by redshirt freshman Christopher Vizzina. Walk-on Trent Pearman will be the No. 3 quarterback in 2024, while transfer Paul Tyson will be No. 4.

Tyson is transitioning to a student coach role but will still be available as an emergency QB.

“Paul Tyson’s going to stay. He’s got another year… he’s going to become a coach,” Swinney said. “He’s going to be a student coach, and that’s what he wants to do. But he’s got another year of eligibility. So he’s going to be a coach but stay in shape and keep his arm ready. If we had to get to a fourth guy, he’d be the guy to go play for us. And could function, obviously, and know everything.”

Klubnik has passed for 2,580 yards and 19 touchdowns this season, with eight interceptions. He’s also rushed for 194 yards and four scores. Swinney is well aware that there are areas where the Texas native needs to improve, but overall he feels good about Klubnik’s future at Clemson.

“We’re excited. We’re excited about obviously Klubnik. We’re committed to him. Believe in him. He’s our guy,” Swinney said. “We saw a lot of growth in him in his first year as the full-time starter. And I think you’re going to continue to see that. He’s got a lot of things that he needs to do in the offseason, for sure. The game has slowed down for him. He’s still got more to do there. But he makes elite, elite plays. And he’s gotten better at cutting out some of those disaster plays that we had early on.

“We really believe in that kid. He’ll be a junior. And I think, if he stays the course, when he walks out of here in a couple of years, this kid’s going to be a great winner here. I really believe that. And so does everybody else in the building.”