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Big pressure on Cade Klubnik in 2024

Big pressure on Cade Klubnik in 2024

When Cade Klubnik committed to Clemson as part of the 2022 class, fans were excited to have him. Bringing in a former Gatorade Player of the Year from Texas, Elite 11 camp MVP and the top quarterback in that class was a huge deal. That excitement grew after fans got a glimpse of Klubnik when he took mostly end-of-game snaps in blowouts his freshman year.

At the time, he was second on the depth chart, behind DJ Uiagalelei, who struggled during his two years at Clemson. This would lead to Klubnik being handed the reins early in the 2022 ACC Championship game. His performance earned him the MVP award of the game, as he completed 20 of 24 passes for 279 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed seven times for 30 yards and another touchdown. Fans were excited for Klubnik’s future after the performance. Expectations that he would become Clemson’s next great quarterback quickly rose.

That excitement quickly turned to dread, however, after a Week 1 loss at Duke to start 2023. It was the first game of Klubnik’s first season as the Tigers’ full-time starter. As the rest of that season progressed, there were plenty of mixed opinions from fans and analysts alike. There were glimpses of greatness from Klubnik. But for some, there wasn’t enough evidence that he was the quarterback to lead the Tigers back to their championship-winning ways.

The ups

While Klubnik didn’t have the best 2023 season, it wasn’t all bad. In his first season as a starter, he completed 290 of his 454 pass attempts. Those 290 completions are the fourth-most among all Clemson quarterbacks in a single season. It also gave Klubnik a 63.9% completion percentage, which was third-best among ACC quarterbacks last season. Klubnik also threw for 2,844 yards and 19 touchdowns, both of which tied him for fifth-most in the ACC in those categories.

Klubnik has shown on many occasions that he has the talent to be one of the best quarterbacks in the country. In fact, he has shown some growth in the areas where he has been lacking. Combine that with an increase in talent in the wide receiver room, and there is no reason why Klubnik can’t be better this season. However, Klubnik’s biggest problem isn’t his talent. It’s the decision-making that is so crucial to playing the quarterback position.

The valleys

Klubnik’s most notable problem last season was slow and sometimes just plain bad decision-making, especially at key moments. Too often he put the Tigers in tough situations because he was too hesitant about a read or didn’t understand the situation. This sometimes led to some bad turnovers.

The biggest example of this was the loss to Duke. There was a fumbled handoff in the red zone where Klubnik pulled the ball off the running back at the last second when he made a late read. While what he saw may have indicated that he should have pulled the ball at the last second, in the situation he should have just made the handoff because he was within five yards of a score and had two strong running backs who could get the yards.

Much of this is also due to his inexperience at this level and is something Klubnik can quickly improve upon. With a full season as a starter now behind him, the expectation is that he will be better in this area of ​​his game. The rising junior should show more confidence, which will directly lead to quicker and better decision-making.

The Importance of 2024

Clemson fans are getting restless and want the Tigers to succeed early in 2024. Fans want to see improvement on the offensive side of the ball in particular. Klubnik is on the verge of receiving the same treatment that Uiagalelei has received from many in the Clemson fan base if he doesn’t show significant growth. The emergence of walk-on junior quarterback Trent Pearmen in the spring game hasn’t made things any easier for Klubnik or the coaching staff. However, the pieces are in place for Klubnik to succeed better than they were a year ago.

The Tigers have a defense that has the potential to be a top-5 FBS prospect, a much-improved receiver room, and a running back in Phil Mafah who is primed for a big season. It’s all there for Klubnik to prove that he’s the guy who can lead Clemson back to the top of college football. But that’s what makes 2024 a make-or-break year for Klubnik, as well as for Clemson’s current culture as a whole.

Photo Credit: Ken Ruinard / Staff / USA TODAY NETWORK