Clemson HC Dabo Swinney Provides Optimistic News About QB Cade Klubnik's Injury

Fans of the Clemson Tigers will have a breath of relief for quarterback Cade Klubnik after head coach Dabo Swinney spoke about his injury on Tuesday.

Speaking to the media as a part of his weekly media availability, Swinney spoke about his starting quarterback's ankle injury, which sidelined him in the third quarter in the team's win over Boston College.

However, Swinney expects Klubnik to play this weekend against SMU.

"He's expecting to play," he said. "We will be smart with him, and we have got almost a week before game time, so he's played a lot of football. The main thing is to make sure that he's got the plan down, then he will work it into practice and be ready to go."

Swinney described his quarterback as "sore", with Klubnik also admissing he was banged up, whether if it was the wear and tear on the season or the aggrevated ankle.

After the game this past weekend, Klubnik spoke about it briefly, and while not giving an exact comment, he was excited to move on to the Mustangs at home next week in a rematch of last year's ACC Championship.

"Just a couple of things banged up and just took a hit, but I feel pretty good," he said, "so I'm excited to go attack this week and excited to learn from this game."

Klubnik was everywhere in the team's win, throwing for 280 yards and a touchdown while adding 48 yards on the ground and another score. The Tigers hung 34 first-half points on the Eagles, showing another first-half masterclass similar to the one in their win over North Carolina the week before.

After the game, Swinney also said there was a chance that the senior could've remained in the game, but the score allowed him to nurse his standout.

"He was trying to come back in there," Swinney said. "It was his ankle, so we held him out."

Backup Christopher Vizzina relieved Klubnik for the remainder of the game, completing only one pass while also throwing an interception. Third-string signal caller Trent Pearman is another candidate who could have played, seeing drives against the Tar Heels in that blowout.

Klubnik has thrown for 1,530 yards, 11 touchdowns and five interceptions, and as the team heads back home to face the Mustangs, Swinney wants his starting quarterback ready to go for the highly-anticipated game, and all signs look to have it happening.

"He just was over with the trainers last night," Swinney said. "He's sore, but he will be a little better each day, and should be hopefully be ready to go."