Cade Klubnik didn’t hide from the sting of Clemson’s latest setback. Following a narrow loss to Georgia Tech, the Tigers’ junior quarterback stood at the podium and repeated a phrase that has defined much of Clemson’s season: a few plays away.
“I’m really proud of our offense the whole day,” Klubnik said. “We ran up and down the field, did great in the red zone other than once, and just really proud of the guys. Eleven guys playing at once—that’s what we needed to do, and we did. But we’re just a few plays away. Two plays that I want back.”
Those two plays—the turnovers—shifted momentum in a game Clemson believed it controlled.
Breaking Down the Turnovers
Klubnik didn’t sugarcoat his mistakes. On the first turnover, a strip fumble, he admitted it was about technique.
“The first one just kind of got away from me,” he explained. “Planted weird on my left ankle, ball got away, and they hit me.”
The second was a calculated risk gone wrong.
“Credit to that safety—he made a heck of a play,” Klubnik said. “It was an RPO, he came all the way down into the box, and I tried to throw it over him. He just made the play.”
For a quarterback trying to play more aggressively, those were the margins that decided the game.
A Spark Before Halftime
Despite the mistakes, Klubnik pointed to a defining moment late in the first half when Clemson punched in a touchdown before the break.
“That drive was awesome,” Klubnik said. “It was great to see 11 guys doing their job at once. On the touchdown to Bryant Wesco, they brought nickel fire, and he ended up being the third read. I just reset back to him. I was really proud of that play—and really proud of T.J. Moore. He took that dude about 50 yards downfield blocking. That was awesome to see.”
For Klubnik, it wasn’t just the touchdown. It was proof the Tigers’ offense could execute under pressure.
Second-Half Aggression and Perseverance
After the locker room reset, Clemson looked sharper, but Georgia Tech made just enough winning plays. Still, Klubnik felt the team answered the call.
“I felt like we were running up and down on these guys,” he said. “When they needed a stop, they got it, and that hurt us. But I’m proud of us. We tied it up in the second half, and just to see that all out of our offense was really awesome. We persevered the whole day.”
Even in defeat, Klubnik pointed to running back Adam Randall’s hustle—chasing down a defender after an interception—as symbolic of the team’s mindset.
“Adam’s the glue of this team right now,” Klubnik said. “I’m really proud of him. His hustle on that play showed how we’re going to keep fighting.”
“So Close” Yet So Far
Asked about the team’s ability to respond, Klubnik didn’t hesitate.
“I’ve got a lot of faith,” he said. “I’m going to show up Monday with a lot of energy and be ready to go, because we’re so close. That’s the hardest part—it’s one thing to get your tail whipped, but it’s another to be right there, just a few plays away.”
Clemson fans may not take much comfort in those words after another painful loss, but their quarterback isn’t wavering.
“Just got to keep persevering, watch the tape, and get better,” Klubnik said.