Swinney Provides Key Injury Update: What it Means for Duke

Saturday's matchup between the Duke Blue Devils and Clemson Tigers contains multiple moving parts, including the health of quarterback Cade Klubnik.

Clemson's head coach, Dabo Swinney, provided an update on Klubnik's involvement in practice on Monday.

"He did everything we asked him to do," Swinney said on Tuesday.

Oct 11, 2025; Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA; Clemson Tigers quarterback Cade Klubnik (2) throws a pass against the Boston College Eagles during the second half at Alumni Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

The veteran quarterback suffered a high-ankle sprain against Boston College on Oct. 11, which prevented him from suiting up against the SMU Mustangs last week.

Third-year backup Christopher Vizzina stepped in as the starter in Klubnik's absence, completing 29-of-42 pass attempts for 317 yards and three touchdowns.

Clemson clearly has two quarterbacks capable of running the offense at a high level, but what does the update about Klubnik's status affect Duke's game plan this weekend?

What Does it Mean for Duke?

Oct 11, 2025; Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA; Clemson Tigers quarterback Cade Klubnik (2) throws for a Boston College Eagles interception during the second half at Alumni Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Klubnik was once viewed as a first-round pick in the upcoming NFL draft class, but his play has caused his stock to plummet in that regard.

In six games played, Klubnik has completed 65.8% of his passes for 1,530 yards, 11 touchdowns, and five interceptions. Obviously, those are not the type of numbers a team and player of Klubnik's stature aim for at this point of the season.

As mentioned, Vizzina stepped in and the Tigers' offense did not skip a beat with a different quarterback under center. Duke's defensive coordinator Jonathan Patke took notice of this and talked about it during his press conference on Monday.

Oct 18, 2025; Clemson, South Carolina, USA; Clemson Tigers quarterback Christopher Vizzina (17) passes against the Southern Methodist Mustangs during the second quarter at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Ruinard-GREENVILLE NEWS-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images | Ken Ruinard-GREENVILLE NEWS-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

"No. the offense stays pretty much the same. [Vizzina] can run. He can run all the designed [carries] that [Klubnik] has ran in the past," Patke began. "It's been three weeks since [Klubnik's] played, so I would anticipate seeing him. I haven't heard that yet, but obviously, we know he's a great player."

"He can win with his legs and his arm. He's got all the talent in the world, but the backup comes in, and it doesn't look like they take anything off of him. It looks like [Vizzina] just runs the offense for them. So, we have to prepare for both, but I don't know how much it will change with him."

Oct 11, 2025; Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA; Clemson Tigers quarterback Cade Klubnik (2) reacts to his touchdown against the Boston College Eagles during the first half at Alumni Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

The Blue Devils seem to be preparing for Klubnik's return to the lineup this week. When assessing this situation, Duke may prefer to face Klubnik, who could be slightly at less than 100% healthy while dealing with some rust, as he has not played in three weeks.

Nonetheless, the Blue Devils defense will have to be sharp regardless of who is under center for Clemson on Saturday.

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