Clemson's Cade Klubnik Reflects Ahead of His Final Game in Death Valley

As the Clemson Tigers gear up for their home finale in Death Valley this weekend against the Furman Paladins, senior quarterback Cade Klubnik knows Saturday will bring tons of emotions in every facet.

This past Wednesday, Klubnik spoke to the media and discussed the weight of the moment, from soaking in his senior season to preparing for his last run down the hill.

"It's surreal. Time flows by, and it's gone by fast," Klubnik said. "I haven't really been thinking about it [running down the hill] a ton, but as the moment gets closer, obviously I'll be thinking about it a lot more and the impact that this place has had on me and the stadium has had on me; so many great memories. It's crazy that I only get one more, but I'm excited for it."

Klubnik then reflected on the bigger picture at hand; not just the moment that's coming on Saturday, but the entire journey that led him to Clemson in the first place.

"It's been such a blessing," Klubnik continued. "I dreamed of coming to Clemson when I was in high school and saw it as an out-of-reach offer. Whenever I did end up getting the offer, I committed on the spot. I knew that God had a great plan for the next few years, and he has been so good over the last few years. It's been such a blessing. Just the people that he's put in my life and the people that have been able to pour into me, and I've been able to pour into other people. Being able to live life together with my teammates, these coaches, and the community. It's been such a blessing, and I'm so thankful for this place. It's awesome."

When asked about the standout moments from his career, Klubnik paused, almost smiling as he tried to look back and narrow the choices down.

It wasn't just the wins or trophies that came to mind, but the quieter, everyday moments; the things he said he didn't appreciate enough early on, but now cherishes as this chapter comes to a close.

"There's been a lot of awesome [moments]," he relayed. "I don't know if I can put my finger on one. There have been so many, it's the games and winning championships. Enjoying all those. But it's also the bus rides and all that. Those are really what are fun and what I'm going to miss. There are so many little moments that you might take for granted in your early years, and you start really cherishing them once you realize your time is almost up. I'm just enjoying all those little moments that I have left."

That appreciation, he added, goes hand in hand with the tough lessons learned along the way, most of which came from head coach Dabo Swinney.

"He tells you the truth, and sometimes guys can't handle that," Klubnik voiced. "If you need to get better at something, he's going to tell you straight up, and he's not afraid to. That's what you want. I was talking to somebody the other day, and they asked, 'How do you handle tough coaching?' I said I want a coach who's going to coach me hard, because if they're not, that means they don't care about how good I can be, and they don't love me as a player and who I can be, and how good I can be. If they're just complacent and let the senior quarterback do his own thing, be quiet, and coach the younger guys. I took on the approach this year that I want to be coached harder than I have in the past three years. That's what I feel like they've done... They push us in ways that you're not necessarily going to like him sometimes because he's coaching you hard, but at the end of the day, you appreciate that a few days later. It's not personal, it's just business to make sure that you can be the best that you can be."

With all of these factors in mind, Klubnik admitted he's not sure how he'll feel once it's officially over. He isn't planning out the emotions or trying to predict how the moment will hit. He just knows it will.

"Oh man,” Klubnik concluded. “I think just a lot of joy — a lot of gratefulness. I think a combination of those two, and probably some emotions as well. Just looking around at the guys that I've been able to play with the past four years. I'm not really going to plan any emotions, I'm just going to let it happen."