Klubnik excited for “fresh start” with Garrett Riley

Cade Klubnik likes what he's seeing early from the new offensive look.

by Ariana Pensy - Correspondent - Tue Mar 07 07:00:13 GMT-04:00 2023

CLEMSON - New offensive coordinator Garrett Riley has already made quite the impression on campus already, showing great promise for the upcoming season.

“Just super excited for what he’s going to bring and what he’s already brung. Just kind of a fresh start for this offense and a fresh start for this program,” Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik said on Monday. “I love the offense. It’s efficient and it’s productive. It reminds me a lot of my high school offense, less plays but just doing less and doing it better and I’m loving it and I’m loving the style, just the freedom in the offense.”

Riley comes to Clemson after having plenty of success in his career so far, most recently as the offensive coordinator of TCU and taking the Horned Frogs to the National Championship. The credibility he has as a successful coach is one of the many reasons Klubnik and the rest of the team are excited about their new coordinator.

“Just credibility, what he’s done in the past few years is exciting and you take a guy like (former TCU QB) Max Duggan, who has a pretty good career, and makes him a Heisman Trophy finalist,” Klubnik said. “Just what he can do with any type of quarterback, it (excites) me and see what he’s able to do with this offense.”

One main difference between Riley and the previous offensive coordinator, Brandon Streeter, is efficiency. Klubnik explained that under Streeter, the Tigers would come into games with about 80 play calls; with Riley, this number is now down to about 30. Riley’s offensive scheme is about running a few plays but with doing them to perfection.

“So, just being able to run less plays and getting really, really good at it,” Klubnik said. “(Riley)’s even said, ‘It doesn’t matter if they know what the play is. We’re still going to be able to beat them at it.’”

In addition to the new passing game plan with Riley, the Tigers have running backs Will Shipley and Phil Mafah to rely on. Shipley totaled 1,182 rushing yards last season, ranked No. 24 in the country. According to Klubnik, the combination of the new passing attack and having such a talented backfield will make Clemson even more of a threat next season.

“We got two of the best running backs in the country (with Will Shipley and Phil Mafah). It’s a lot to have the best running back in the country. It’s a lot to have the top two,” Klubnik said. “It’s really awesome to have them both back there. They’re both just awesome dudes. They just love to work. They love the grind, they’re great leaders.”

A final thing that Klubnik made clear: he does not like to lose. He never lost in high school; the Orange Bowl was the first football game he ever lost and it’s not something he’s interested in doing again.

“The fun is in the winning and you learn from losing and it sucks and I hate it,” Klubnik said. “I think with three older siblings, they know that we are the most competitive family ever and we hate losing and I hate losing, no matter what it is. I’m going to come back and it’s going to be a good year.”