Clemson QB Cade Klubnik Reveals Injury Process, Impact in Duke Loss

Clemson Tigers quarterback Cade Klubnik spoke about how his hurt ankle affected his gameplay against Duke, as well as the treatment he was doing before missing his first-career start against SMU.

Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik played through a sprained ankle injury against Duke this past weekend, throwing for almost 400 yards and two touchdowns. | Alex Martin/Greenville News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Throughout the last several weeks, Clemson Tigers quarterback Cade Klubnik has been going through the process of recovering from a sprained ankle injury. 

Continuing to get back to 100%, the senior revealed the impact that it had in Clemson’s loss against the Duke Blue Devils this past weekend, and how he thinks he will feel ahead of Florida State this weekend. 

Even on a nursed ankle, it felt like Klubnik was playing healthy, throwing for 385 yards and two touchdowns in the loss. The Austin, Texas, native said he “fought through everything” last Saturday. 

“I felt like, when I needed to move around, I felt like I moved around pretty well and felt like I was really close to myself out there,” Klubnik said. “So, honestly, you know, felt better than I thought I was going to be out there and felt like I moved around pretty well.”

Head coach Dabo Swinney said that his quarterback came out of the game “in a good spot”, and Klubnik agrees, saying that he feels a lot better than he thought he would have initially after the contest.

“I’m feeling good,” Klubnik said. “Yeah, definitely, you know, I thought I was going to be a little bit sore, but you know, feeling a lot better than I thought I was going to be feeling. It’s not a gentle sport, so always little bumps and bruises along the way throughout the season, but you know, feel great and excited to attack another week.”

Ahead of the game against Duke, Klubnik was listed as “probable” on the ACC’s mandatory injury report. However, he played, and the offense moved with flying colors, despite the loss that occurred at Memorial Stadium. 

Two weeks before, the third-year starter was questionable to play against the SMU Mustangs and was eventually shut down for the game. The loss to SMU marked redshirt sophomore Christopher Vizzina’s first start with the team. 

Both Swinney and Klubnik detailed how much the Clemson quarterback was going through ahead of the game against the Mustangs to get back to playing. 

“Getting here at 6 a.m. and walking straight into the training room and heading out of here around 11 out of the training room, going upstairs, watching film with the coaches,” Klubnik said. “After practice, you know, with our trainers getting treatment while I’m watching film, and just literally doing everything I can to get on the field.”

“Cade’s a warrior, man,” Swinney said. “That guy is unbelievably committed, and he’ll be that way ‘til the last play. I mean, he’s just a guy; he’s done, he did everything he could to play against SMU. I mean, literally around the clock, you know, treatment and hooked up to machines and everything he could to try to play in that game, and that’s just who he is.”

Fans will be excited to have their starting quarterback continue to return from the sprained ankle, which will help him be more mobile ahead of Clemson’s matchup against Florida State on Saturday night.