Cade Klubnik might not be the Dark Knight, but after Clemson’s offensive explosion, he certainly sounded like Gotham’s newest hero.
Klubnik revealed that OL coach Matt Luke gave him a note during Friday’s walkthrough against UNC that said “You’re Batman.” Luke informed Klubnik after the UNC game that he went to Walmart by himself on Friday to get a Batman & Joker T-shirt for Klubnik.
“He handed me a note in the walk-through on Friday, and all it said was, ‘You’re Batman,’” Klubnik said with a grin. “After the game, he told me he went to Walmart last night by himself and bought me this T-shirt. It was a cool moment just having people believe in you.”
For Klubnik, the Batman story wasn’t about ego — it was about identity.
“It was a good reminder of just who I am and who we are as players and individuals,” he said. “Loss does things. It either grinds you up or shines you up. And I think it’s going to continue to shine us up.”
The Offense Finds Its Flow
Clemson’s offense looked alive again, and Klubnik made history in the process — becoming only the second quarterback besides Patrick Mahomes to throw four touchdown passes in a single half. Still, he downplayed the stat line.
“Honestly, I’m more excited about just getting a win,” he said. “That was 11 guys making plays and doing our job. Hopefully, this game will be a spark for the rest of the season.”
The Tigers jumped out to 28 first-quarter points — a burst that silenced the stadium and restored a sense of swagger that’s been missing.
“We needed a spark early, and that’s what we did,” Klubnik said. “It kind of lit up the whole sideline. It was great to start that way and hopefully it’s a spark for the rest of the season.”
Fresh Slate, Renewed Belief
Clemson’s locker room theme this week was “restart.” Klubnik says that mindset — a clean slate — is exactly what the Tigers need.
“We’ve talked about having kind of a restart and a fresh slate almost,” he said. “It starts in practice — being really intentional on Thursday and Friday — and just going out to play free. Not playing for anybody’s approval, just playing for each other.”
It’s a subtle but crucial shift — one built on trust, effort, and belief.
“It’s infectious,” Klubnik said. “You see guys like Christian Bentker and Peter Woods putting in the work, and it makes everyone else want to do more.”
What It Signals
Cade Klubnik isn’t just finding his rhythm — he’s finding his voice.
The Batman symbolism, the playmaking confidence, and the renewed energy in the offense point to a Clemson team that’s rediscovering who it is — and who it can be.
If the Tigers’ quarterback keeps playing like this, Clemson’s story might just turn from a rebuilding arc into a redemption run.