ESPN analyst sees 'concerning' element with Clemson defense, encouraging signs for Klubnik

ESPN's Greg McElroy says Cade Klubnik could make a Bo Nix or Joe Burrow-like progression deeper into his Clemson career this season.

Brandon Rink · Assoc. Editor / Staff Writer · Tuesday, August 20 2024

ESPN college football analyst Greg McElroy sees a "concerning" element with Clemson's defense and a potential bright spot on offense going into a matchup with No. 1 Georgia.

McElroy's latest podcast reviewed some defensive concerns he had heard from the Clemson camp and their progress since then.

"Based on what we’ve heard, is that the offensive line many times has had their way with the defense in the first two weeks of camp," McElroy said. "That’s not usually the case. Usually it’s the other way around. The defense is usually ahead of the offense and the offense catches up and the things start to even out as the camp goes along. It’s a little concerning, especially knowing what they’re going against in Week 1. If Clemson came out of the gates versus a subpar opponent, I’d say they have plenty of time to kinda get things where they want to go defensively. But they play Georgia Week 1. It’s going to be a very important game for the perception of this program.

"Regardless of the outcome, people will draw conclusions on where Clemson is in the hierarchy of college football right now in the event that the game goes sideways. I don’t know if it will. I don’t know if it won’t. I don’t know any of those things, but all I know if their defense needs to be ready to roll. But it sounds like from what Dabo (said on Thursday), things are moving in the right direction."

McElroy sees a different look to this Wes Goodwin-led group.

"Maybe this is a defense that is going to be more opportunistic," McElroy said. "Maybe they’re a defense that’s going to have to press the issue from time to time and create a turnover, because it can’t hold up in the trenches – they’re a little thin on the ends. Let’s be real, they’re a little thin at spots on the defensive line. It’s not a group that can go 7-8-9 deep on the defensive line and just hold up throughout the course of a 15-play drive. They used to be able to do that. That’s not this group’s identity. They’re going to have to be more opportunistic and take some more risks to potentially turn over an opponent as opposed to weathering the storm, bend-don’t-break and make them kick a field goal as the field condenses."

On the other side of the ball, the former Alabama quarterback likes what he's hearing about second-year starter Cade Klubnik.

"The other thing I can say too, it’s pretty encouraging with some of the buzz we’re getting out of camp on Cade Klubnik," he said. "Who’s to say that Klubnik is not the next in line of great quarterbacks that just took a little while to reach their potential. Guys like Joe Burrow…Hendon Hooker…Bo Nix…There’s a handful of guys whose progress really grew from where they started to where they finished. Jayden Daniels was cast away at Arizona State for the most part. Ends up at LSU and wins a Heisman Trophy. There’s a bunch of examples of that, so maybe Cade Klubnik is the next in line for a guy who blossoms in Year 2 as a full-time starter and gets better from that point forward."

Clemson kicks off with the No. 1 Bulldogs on Aug. 31 in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta (noon/ABC).