One season was enough for Will Heldt to form a lasting bond with Cade Klubnik.
After Clemson’s 22–10 loss to Penn State Nittany Lions in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium, Heldt and Klubnik shared a quiet moment as they walked off the field together — the final game of Klubnik’s college career.
“That’s my guy,” Heldt said. “I was just letting him know how much I love him, how proud of him I am. That’s my roommate, so we’ve become pretty close. That’s my guy.”
Heldt transferred to Clemson from Purdue before the 2025 season and spent just one year alongside Klubnik, but the connection grew quickly. While Klubnik’s Clemson career ended in New York, Heldt will return in 2026 for his senior season.
Heldt praised Klubnik’s leadership, noting that the quarterback could have opted out of the bowl game but chose to play despite dealing with multiple injuries throughout the season.
“I think he’s just an all-around leader in everything that he does,” Heldt said. “He’s consistent day in and day out. Hardest worker on the team. He works his tail off. I’m proud of him.”
Klubnik played through an ankle sprain that forced him to miss the SMU game earlier in the season, along with a quad injury that limited his mobility and a thumb injury he managed through late in the year.
Against Penn State, Klubnik completed 22 of 39 passes for 193 yards, including a 44-yard completion to T.J. Moore. The play pushed him past Tajh Boyd for the Clemson record in career pass completions and made him the fourth player in school history to eclipse 10,000 career passing yards.
Klubnik’s career featured both highs and setbacks, but his résumé includes ACC championships in 2022 and 2024, MVP honors in both title games and a College Football Playoff appearance in 2024. He is one of just three players to win ACC Championship Game MVP twice.
The Pinstripe Bowl marked Klubnik’s 40th and final college start. He finished his Clemson career with a 26–14 record as a starter and became the sixth quarterback in program history to win at least 25 games in the role.