Clemson Tigers held its first scrimmage of fall camp Saturday inside Memorial Stadium, and Dabo Swinney came away calling it one of the most competitive first scrimmages he’s seen in years. The Tigers’ coach said both sides traded blows throughout the day. Offense will always be in the spotlight because of “risen” QB1 Cade Klubnik. Swinney hinted that what he saw in this workout wasn’t just about the scoreboard in a simulated game—it was about the grit of a leader forged in fire.

When Dabo Swinney sat down with Jim Rome recently, the story of Cade Klubnik poured out with the kind of detail that makes you understand why the head coach sees this season differently. “Cade Klubnik could have gone anywhere in the country, but he chose Clemson, and he chose to come play for me. And that’s a big deal. And loyalty’s a two-way street,” Swinney said. “And to see him blossom last year and have the type of year that he had was so awesome. And he is an amazing kid… he’s just a guy that really had never had any football adversity.” Swinney then traced Cade’s perfect run—never losing a game at Austin Westlake, three Texas state championships, an Elite 11 crown, and an MVP in the ACC title game as a freshman.

Then came the first taste of reality. In his first full season as a starter, Cade wasn’t immune to the growing pains. “He took some sacks, he turned it over. He wasn’t perfect, but he’s growing,” Swinney said. For the first time in his career, the golden boy of Westlake had to answer the critics. “This kid was four and four at Clemson. And we’re playing Notre Dame. And he beat Sam Hartman at Notre Dame, Drake Maye at North Carolina, Haynes King at Georgia Tech, [Spencer] Rattler at South Carolina, and then he goes and beats Kentucky on a two-minute drive in the bowl game. And we finished nine and four. And, you know, it was awesome. I always say it either shines you up or grinds you up. It’s all about what you’re made of. And he’s made of the right stuff.”

It’s that “right stuff” that Dabo Swinney sees now leading the offense. “He came here, he could have gone anywhere he wanted to. He stayed here, he’s developed. And we’ve hung in there with him. And now he’s set up to really go have a great season and a great career. And he’s going to be a great pro one day. But he’s just a kid that loves where he is. He blooms where he’s planted. He loves ball. He’s a gym rat. And I’m just really proud of him. He is a special young leader for us.” For Swinney, Cade’s resilience mirrors his own improbable survival early in his tenure—when a 6-win season had him thinking the AD’s call was his pink slip. Instead, he called Dabo and said, “Hey, I believe in you more now than I ever did. And I know you’re going to get this thing right.”

That belief carried over to Saturday’s scrimmage. Clemson’s QBs weren’t flawless—Cade Klubnik and freshman Christopher Vizzina were responsible for turnovers—but both regrouped and finished with momentum. In a sudden-change drill, Vizzina took the reins with the first-team offense and needed just three plays to score. It was the kind of test Swinney wanted in August: red zone battles, short-yardage grinds, goal-line collisions, and live special teams. The offense flashed tempo in spurts, the defense closed space quickly, and the atmosphere felt far from a simple practice script.

Now, the stage ahead is a gauntlet, starting with LSU in the Labor Day opener. For Klubnik, the adversity chapter is already written—this season is about the sequel. A year ago, his numbers were a mixed bag, but the late-season rally hinted at a Heisman hopeful, pegged against his rival, Garrett Nussmeier, also in contention.

What’s ‘must-see TV’ for Dabo Swinney

If you thought Dabo Swinney was hyped after Saturday’s scrimmage, just wait until you hear him talk about Clemson’s Labor Day Weekend showdown with No. 9 LSU. The Tigers (both kinds) are set to meet in Death Valley under the lights, and Swinney isn’t holding back.

“Yeah, man, it’s going to be. Yeah, that’s going to be must-see TV right there,” Swinney said with a grin you could hear through the phone. This isn’t just another opener—it’s Clemson’s first home opener since 2019. “You know, I told my AD look, we’ll play the Dallas Cowboys if we could just play at home once this decade. So we’ve yet to open up at home this decade. So I’m happy about that.”

And the matchup? Well, buckle up. “It’s going to be, oh man, it’s going to be epic battle. They’re really, really good. We know we have an opportunity to be a good team. They have an opportunity to be a good team. Both big-time quarterbacks that are going to be pros one day. Both teams have a lot of skill, big dudes in the trenches.”

It’s the kind of stage Swinney dreams about with start announcers and all: “To be right here in Death Valley, a night game… I think we got Herbstreit and Fowler doing the game. So, I mean, it’s just going to be a classic college football environment, right out of the gate, big boy football. So, it’s going to be fun. We got work to do, but can’t wait.”