Anonymous ACC coach puts pressure on Cade Klubnik to carry Clemson in 2025

Cade Klubnik has been tabbed as one of, if not the best quarterback in the country heading into the 2025 college football season. After leading Clemson to an ACC Championship and subsequent College Football Playoff berth, expectations are through the roof for the Tigers QB1 in 2025.

One anonymous ACC recently spoke to Athlon Sports about Clemson’s outlook this season. The coach believes the team’s success will largely be predicated on the performances Klubnik delivers on a weekly basis this fall.

“How good is Cade [Klubnik], really? His ceiling defines their limit as a program,” the coach told Athlon Sports. “You should see a big jump as [Garrett] Riley’s playbook expands with him.”

2024 was Klubnik’s second season as the team’s starting quarterback, where he finished the season with over 3,600 passing yards and impressively, 36 touchdowns compared to six interceptions. His QBR (78.7) was ranked 12th-best in the country at the end of the season.

Elsewhere on the roster, the anonymous coach said that he expects the Clemson defensive unit to be improved under first-year defensive coordinator Tom Allen. He’s been a majoer help in finding “disruptive” high-end talent on the defensive side of the football.

Moreover, Clemson is “playing the game” in NIL right now. But regardless of the defensive’s improvement, the coach comes back to how Klubnik fares under center.

“This is the year we find out if Dabo [Swinney] and his culture can survive in the new era of this game,” they said. “Two years ago, we put on the tape, and it felt like, wow, their best days are behind them because of the shift in personnel and the stance against NIL.

“You saw it right away, especially at position groups like receiver where they used to dominate. Now they’re getting better; you’re seeing more talent than the last couple years.”

Two seasons ago (2023) was the first year Klubnik had the reigns as QB1 for Swinney’s program. Clemson finished the season with a 9-4 record — the school’s worst finish since 2010.

It appeared as though NIL may begin to even the playing field for other teams in the conference, but after Clemson reinstated their title as ACC Champion last season — all signs point toward the Tigers being back and ready to take on the College Football Playoff in consecutive seasons.

That effort will begin during Week 1 against LSU at home. Kickoff is set for Aug. 30 at 7:30 p.m. ET live on ABC.