CLEMSON, S.C.- Cade Klubnik possesses all of those intangibles that make quarterbacks great.
The former 5-star prospect and the top quarterback in the 2022 recruiting class made his first career start in the Orange Bowl loss to Tennessee. Klubnik absolutely showed flashes of his talent level, as the Tigers moved the ball up and down the field. However, inconsistencies in the red zone handicapped the offense, as Clemson mustered just 14 points in the loss.
Those inconsistencies are in part why Garrett Riley was brought in to revamp the Tigers’ offense, and Klubnik feels like this new system will allow him to play to his strengths.
“I feel like I just really got to get back to just my natural style of play and just getting to get back there and relax and just try to kind of take control,” Klubnik said. “I feel like that’s kind of when I play my best is when I’m just I’m fully in control and I don’t have to worry about anything. I just get to relax and go play and just have fun doing it.”
Klubnik admittedly learned a lot about the areas in which he needs improvement in that loss to the Volunteers, with pocket presence being a primary focus this spring.
“What I learned is just stay calm and keep watching film,” Klubnik said. “I mean I’ve continued to learn so much, but right now just working on my pocket presence and just getting down this offense.”
The rising sophomore has always felt like his presence in the pocket was one of his biggest attributes. However, in the Orange Bowl, Klubnik feels like it wasn’t on display. He carried the ball 20 times, with many of those coming on runs in which he felt like he left the pocket too early.
It’s something that he doesn’t plan on happening again, and to ensure that he makes the necessary adjustments, he is going back to his roots.
“I feel like that was one of my best attributes in high school was my pocket presence and being able to move and stay calm under blitzes, under pressures, and to be able to make one or two movements and still deliver the ball down the field,” Klubnik said. “I think that was my biggest weakness last year in the Orange Bowl was just not having great pocket presence. I was escaping too early. And I saw that. I’ve been working on that about two or three times a week right now. Getting back to my roots with that.”
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