The week of waiting is over, and the news is what Clemson fans were desperately hoping for.
Quarterback Cade Klubnik, whose status has been the subject of daily speculation, has officially been listed as PROBABLE for Saturday's noon kickoff against Duke, according to the team's first availability report released Thursday night.
The designation marks a significant upgrade and signals the likely return of the senior signal-caller after he was forced to miss his first start in 34 games with a sprained ankle.
"We'll put it on a report on Thursday," Swinney said Tuesday. "We'll kind of see where we are... and really, who is game-ready."
His return is a major boost for a Clemson (3-4, 2-3 ACC) team in desperate need of a victory. While backup Chris Vizzina played well in the loss to SMU, Klubnik's leadership and experience are vital to the offense.
However, the good news at quarterback is tempered by a lengthy list of players who have been definitively ruled OUT. That list is headlined by star receiver Bryant Wesco Jr., whose season-ending injury was confirmed earlier.
He is joined by a host of other key players, including:
- RB Jarvis Green
- RB Jay Haynes
- DE Armon Mason
- LB Logan Anderson
- LB Billy Wilkes
- OL Collin Sadler
- OL Elyjah Thurmon
- DT Makhi Williams Lee
- OL Easton Ware
- DE Ari Watford
For the Tigers, the path forward is clear. With their starting quarterback back in the fold, they will host Duke with the hopes of turning their season around, even as they battle significant attrition across the roster.