Is it getting tough for Clemson fans so far in the season? Once expected to be strong National Championship contenders, the Tigers’ fate hangs by a flimsy thread. That’s more so because of Cade Klubnik being a sheer disappointment in these past two weeks. Once upon a time, Dabo Swinney, who once refused to back down from supporting his star, is now berating his QB1.

Clemson fell out of the Top 10 in the Week 2 rankings, which is an alarming reality for Swinney. A tough loss against LSU, and coming out safe after an embarrassing start against Troy have seriously dented the hopes for Swinney’s future. But Clemson’s trump card, Cade Klubnik, is yet to produce anything in his defense. “Our biggest issue against LSU was that our best player [Cade Klubnik] didn’t play well,” Dabo Swinney said after the LSU loss.

The HC had Klubnik’s back after he struggled in 2023. He followed up with a powerful 2024 report card that earned him a lot of popularity. And to see him performing like this, after all of that, should be troubling. He explained why he isn’t letting up on his star player. “There was nothing else I could say. Honestly, he’s a fourth-year player. When Deshaun (Watson) didn’t play well, I let you know. When Trevor (Lawrence) didn’t play well, I let you know. He’s not a freshman.” Klubnik completed only 19 of his 38 passes, threw for 230 yards, and had zero scores. No points coming from the star of Clemson, at an important game earned Klubnik this punishment.

And after Troy, Klubnik had more coming from Swinney. “For some reason, he got flustered. He scrambled out of the pocket when he didn’t need to. That’s what he did early in his career,” he said. Clemson’s offense fell flat in the first half against Troy, things were looking grim for the QB’s future. Things turned worse when he threw an interception in the first half and failed to score yet again. It’s concerning for Clemson because Swinney might have been hoping to see Clemson’s first Heisman Trophy, with the QB as the winner.

The Troy game would’ve pretty much thrown Clemson out of playoff contention, since the unranked underdogs were looking like the winners by the halftime. Ultimately, the QB and the offense kicked back into game mode, taking the Tigers to a 27-16 win.

Cade Klubnik on the coaches’ message that helped Clemson offense comeback against Troy

After the second quarter, things were looking dire for Clemson. With just 3 points on the board, it looked the Trojans (16 at halftime) were going to have the last laugh. Clemson was a 31-point favorite before the game began. Before the start of the 3 quarter, they had a mountain to climb. But Cade Klubnik and the offense seemed to be locked in this time, as the Tigers produced 24 points in the second half. That’s the work that had to be put in to save Swinney from a humiliating defeat.

He told the press after the game that Garrett Riley rounded them up and said, “Don’t panic.” Klubnik looked a lot more collected in the second half, connecting on 7 of his 8 passes. He threw his first TD pass at the end of the third quarter, connecting with Bryant Wesco Jr. For a reference of how out-of-place Klubnik seemed in the first half, he threw an interception and was without any scores at that time.

A lot of work has to be done on the QB, who looked phenomenal in the fall camp. Fans will want nothing less than his 2024 production this year. Time is running out for Klubnik, who is in his last year of eligibility and is a projected Top-10 pick in the 2026 draft. Dabo Swinney has obvious reasons for airing out Klubnik’s mistakes, since this is not how a QB with his skill and experience performs.