Working In Darkness: Klubnik Talks What Will Separate Clemson in 2024

With a full year under his belt as the starting quarterback at Clemson, quarterback Cade Klubnik is looking to help lead the Tigers back to the promised land of the College Football Playoff.

After having made six consecutive appearances, Clemson has now missed the field in each of the past three seasons, including last year, Klubnik’s first full season leading the offense.

Now that he has had that first season to acclimate to the college game, Klubnik has a better understanding of not only what is expected, but also of what it takes to win at the highest level, and he has fully dedicated himself to helping lead the Tigers back to national prominence.

“I think one thing about me is I love to work in the darkness,” Klubnik said on a recent episode of House Calls . “I am the guy that is up early and up late, just getting in work.”

Klubnik went into the offseason looking to improve in a number of areas, and growing into one of the leaders of the team is something the rising junior is fully embracing.

“First thing about leading, is I don’t ever want to lose a rep from the guys that are supposed to, not necessarily looking up to me, but I’m supposed to be leading them,” he said. “So giving my all and leading by example to start off is just earning respect of your teammates.”

With growth and experience comes wisdom and Klubnik believes that he is becoming the type of leader that Clemson needs him to be.

“And once it’s the right time, I think the vocal leadership comes,” Klubnik added. “Especially this past offseason, I feel like I’ve been able to step up in many ways. Just being my second year as starting quarterback for Clemson, I feel like I’ve been able to find new ways to lead and push guys to places they haven’t been pushed before, and just push this team. It’s truly players pushing each other and I think that is what is going to separate us.”

Last season Klubnik completed 64-percent of his passes, throwing for more than 2,800 yards with 19 touchdowns and nine interceptions, as the Tigers won five straight to end the season at 9-4. That included a dramatic comeback win over Kentucky in the Gator Bowl that saw Klubnik engineer arguably the best drive of his collegiate career to secure the victory with time winding down late in the fourth quarter.

Now Klubnik is working on building off that game-winning drive and, according to the quarterback, that all starts with the work that has been put in over the offseason.

“Obviously, playing in front of 85,000 people and scoring touchdowns is so fun,” Klubnik said. “But you only get 16-17 days out of the year to play the game of football and you have got a lot of other days that you have to get to work. So most of the year, it’s just about the journey of getting to that place, and that place that we want to be.”

A limited number of signed footballs from Clemson’s 2022 class are still available. Get yours while supplies last! Visit Clemson Variety & Frame or purchase online!