Cade Klubnik Breaks Silence After Dabo Swinney Throws Him Under The Bus for LSU Loss

Clemson QB Cade Klubnik opened the season under fire. The reason? LSU came into Memorial Stadium and spoiled the night, grinding out a 17-10 win,  Brian Kelly’s first season-opening victory with the Tigers. And following that, much of the blame fell on Klubnik. Well, he finished 19-of-38 for 230 yards, tossed a costly interception in the 3rd quarter, and was sacked twice. So after the game, Dabo Swinney tried to highlight his QB’s upside, but his tone told the story. Klubnik’s potential is still there, yet he was the one left carrying the weight of Clemson’s Week 1 loss. Here, Dabo Swinney took the brutally honest route in his evaluation.

Swinney didn’t sugarcoat his quarterback’s struggles. “We had some critical drops on contested plays, not good on third down. Had a couple of penalties. And Cade did not play well,” admitted Swinney. “He just didn’t play well. I can’t sugarcoat it. I didn’t have to tell him — he knew. He knows the game. He’ll respond. He’ll bounce back. Sometimes your best player can have a bad day.” So, once touted as a Heisman contender, Klubnik looked rattled against LSU. But interestingly, he didn’t bristle at Swinney’s words. Instead, when he finally broke his silence, he framed them as fuel: a chance to learn and grow.

On September 3, Clemson insider Grayson Mann revealed a telling confession from Cade Klubnik. The QB admitted he left plays on the field and failed to take control. “I didn’t go to get it done. I had a bad game. And I didn’t play like myself,” said Klubnik. Honestly, it’s a rare moment of raw honesty, and a signal he knows the weight of Clemson’s expectations. Then, asked about Dabo Swinney’s blunt critique, Klubnik stayed composed. “Yeah, you just gotta chin it and move on,” he said. So, no excuses, no pushback, and just a QB ready to turn tough words into fuel. Now, with that, the spark of hope flickers back for Clemson.

Cade Klubnik says that he feels like could have taken over the game, but doesn’t feel like he made the plays needed to do so.

“I didn’t go get it done. I had bad game. I didn’t play like myself.”@ClemsonTigerNet

— Grayson Mann (@gray_mann21) September 3, 2025

Yes, any loss attracts attention. However, one of the best QBs in the country is still Cade Klubnik. In addition, he has a wealth of skills surrounding him, makes astute readings, and protects the ball. To top it off, Clemson has deep, wide receivers and a stacked defense. And in light of this, Klubnik made an effort to reduce the commotion and redirect the discussion following the LSU game. As of now, his message was brief yet effective here. “Let’s recover and make it to the playoffs,” mentioned Klubnik. But the matter remains: What about Swinney’s critique?

Clemson HC’s quarterback was not stopped. Instead, it was constructive criticism from a coach who has seen it all. And that’s why unrealistic hope is probably not something Dabo Swinney deals with. In all honesty, the outcome of this game is clear: Clemson lost. However, because the season is longer and the playoffs are now open to 12 teams, a Week 1 error is not as disastrous as it was in the BCS days. And the intriguing part? Klubnik now understands that, despite the pain of the loss, Clemson’s real battle is to heal psychologically.

LSU QB Cade Klubnik’s next move

Cade Klubnik was devastated by LSU’s defeat. Surprisingly, the Austin senior acknowledged that it stayed with him. “After the game, I was just blown away. I was upset,” remarked Cade.“It took me a few days to really bounce back from it because of the way that I played.” And why not? Cade Klubnik lit it up in 2024. He threw for 3,639 yards and kept mistakes to a minimum with just 6 picks. Moreover, he stacked up 36 TDs, and his accuracy stood out, hitting 63.4% of his throws. So, for a QB once tagged as a Heisman contender, that honesty hit hard. But Klubnik isn’t running from it; he’s owning it.

2024 ACC CHampionship: Clemson vs SMU Dec 07 December 7, 2024: Clemson Tigers quarterback Cade Klubnik 2 during the fourth quarter against the Southern Methodist Mustangs in the 2024 ACC Championship at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC. Scott Kinser/CSM/Sipa USA Credit Image: Scott Kinser/Cal Media/Sipa USA Charlotte Bank of America Stadium Nc United States NOxUSExINxGERMANY PUBLICATIONxINxALGxARGxAUTxBRNxBRAxCANxCHIxCHNxCOLxECUxEGYxGRExINDxIRIxIRQxISRxJORxKUWxLIBxLBAxMLTxMEXxMARxOMAxPERxQATxKSAxSUIxSYRxTUNxTURxUAExUKxVENxYEMxONLY Copyright: xCalxSportxMediax Editorial use only

Look, he hasn’t forgotten 2024. Remember, Clemson opened with a 34-3 beatdown from Georgia, a loss many thought would crush their season. Instead, the Clemson regrouped, ripped through the ACC, and punched their ticket to the CFP. And that’s the playbook Klubnik is turning to now. “My influence is heavy. I’ve gotta change my mindset too. Attack every day. Attack every week. That’s what’s needed,” he said. But this time, the test isn’t just physical; it’s mental.

Here’s the thing: Troy is the next game, which the Tigers should easily win (hopefully). But there are other battles going on here besides the scoreboard. So, can Klubnik and his team overcome LSU and start over? That is the true mental struggle. Because one misstep could turn into something far more serious if they don’t.

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