Cade Klubnik: Clemson's Starting Quarterback for 2024?
Cade Klubnik: Clemson's Starting Quarterback for 2024?
By Fan Arch August 15, 2024 10:09
Cade Klubnik has a big future ahead of him as he gets set for the 2024 college football season with the Clemson Tigers. On the heels of a rollercoaster-headed previous season, it's hard to ignore where Klubnik is in his development, skill set, and leadership qualities as Clemson enters the next season without an entrenched starting quarterback. We go in-depth on Klubnik's pedigree, game, and where he stands with Clemson regarding his QB skills and the impact of a potential commitment.
Klubnik's Previous Season and Playing History
Austin, Texas native Cade Klubnik became a star quarterback for Westlake High School. The Texas Gatorade Player of the Year in 2020, Book set a school record for rushing yards (46 TDs) and led his team to a state title. At the high school level, Klubnik threw for over 3,500 yards and a whopping 43 touchdown passes his senior year after transferring to Westlake in need of foes on his schedule capable of testing him.
Commitment to Clemson
Klubnik had several college programs interested in him due to his success at the high school level, but he chose Clemson University. Regarding the decision, Hamilton chose Clemson mainly for its rich traditional football program and coaching staff but also because of what it can do on a higher level within the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). The opportunity to play for Dabo Swinney and OC Garrett Riley helped seal the deal, especially since both are known as QB developers.
Backup Quarterback as a Performance Opportunity
Klubnik arrived at Clemson ahead of the 2022 season and spent one year as a backup quarterback. While he saw limited playing time in his first season, he learned the offense inside out. By 2023, he was a starter and threw for 2,844 yards with 19 touchdowns to nine interceptions. Klubnik did flash at times, especially when distributing the ball and seeing some action improve in 28 hot water sacks, but he faced his problems as a whole. It was a foundation performance as his future looks bright heading into Year 2 of the starting job.
Klubnik's Abilities as a QB
Arm Strength, Accuracy and Decision Making
Klubnik has a great arm that excels at throwing deep balls, and he can deliver quick strikes to stretch out defenses. Most notably, his accuracy, especially on the short to intermediate routes, has seen a substantial improvement, illustrated by him completing more than 60% of his passes in 2023. He can now read defenses and make decisions faster when pass rushers are in his face than he was as a rookie.
Klubnik is a mobile option, one of his most exciting traits. He's 6-foot-2, about 210 pounds, and has the physicality to slip defenders and keep plays alive. He can also scramble and be a dual-threat quarterback, which adds another element of surprise for the Clemson offense. However, his running ability will be a needed asset in this league, where defensive schemes are built to keep quarterbacks stuck in the pocket.
Character and Leadership
Leadership is another skill of Klubnik that has grown. His teammates and some coaches had recognized his growth in something as simple but significant as a player-led offseason meeting where he would take control of the game film to watch plays when they were allowed back into their Manhattan campus.
The other thing is that he has natural leadership qualities because his personality makes him a guy who can talk to teammates and control the huddle. He said, "We just want to be the smartest team on the field," even showing his dedication toward improving and helping escalate performance within these guys.
How Klubnik Could Influence Clemson's 2024 Offense & Team
Clemson Offensive Fit
Garrett Riley's offensive scheme at Clemson prides itself on balancing run and pass. This is good news for Kuang and the company since Klubnik has dual-threat capabilities that can exploit defenses well with this scheme. How quickly he processes information and makes plays could ultimately dictate the high ceiling for this offense.
Projections for Stat Line
Klubnik would need to continue his progression and improvement from the previous season for 2024 projections of over +3,500 yards passing with around 25 TDs while significantly cutting down on INTs. He could also pitch in a substantial amount of yards on the ground with his legs, as he would be a big-time weapon through both the air and on the ground.
Impact on Team Chemistry and Playoff Hopes
If Klubnik is there as the starting quarterback, it can move the needle a great deal for what Clemson wants to do teamwide. That confidence will trickle down to his teammates, who just might play better because of it.
If Clemson can get a more explosive offense, the Tigers could easily find themselves back in contention for another ACC championship and potentially even another playoff berth. Klubnik recently told a reporter, "It's just the team is so much more intelligent," pointing to maturity across the board that could lead to on-field success.
His skill, leadership ability, and knowledge of the offense make him well-suited to lead in 2024. As the season nears, Klubnik's identification of his skills and ability to orchestrate the offense will be crucial concerning Clemson's end game in terms of success and championship goals. There should be plenty of excitement for Klubnik's sophomore campaign and this Clemson football era.
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