Cade Klubnik's calm demeanor mirrors a growing stability in the pocket

Cade Klubnik says he has plenty of comfort in the offense and his teammates.

Grayson Mann - Staff Writer - Friday, October 18 2024

CLEMSON - Calm, cool, and collected.

Since the fall, we’ve been told there’s a different feeling in the air surrounding the Clemson program. Six games in, the change in the atmosphere is palpable.

Many watched Clemson roll through the likes of NC State and Stanford at home, seeing an evolution of the offense that hadn’t formed in multiple years. However, skeptics were waiting for the Tigers to take that transformation on the road.

Heading home from Clemson’s two-game trip, and the results were largely the same. It wasn’t the 50-point drudging that many witnessed at home, but the Clemson offense was in control and notched comfortable double-digit victories.

It all starts under center. Cade Klubnik is playing his best football. That statement alone is no secret, but looking beyond his 21 total touchdowns to only two interceptions, his demeanor stands out above the statistics.

Klubnik also feels that sense of calm, which translates to the unit’s identity, even if a slow start is to take place. Despite not scoring in the first quarter, the offense went on six-straight touchdown drives, putting their stamp in Winston Salem.

It could be easy for an offense to lose its way when things aren’t perfect, but to Klubnik, it's just the game.

“That's football,” Klubnik said. “It's not always going to be perfect, but you try to chase perfection every single day and every drive and everything that you do, so you chase perfection so you can execute excellence. It's kind of something that we live by, and I think that we didn't score the first two drives. You can kind of think to yourself, 'Dang,' but then we come back and score six straight touchdowns, and just looking at it from our point of view, my point of view, that's what really mattered in that last game is we want to go out there and score the first drive, and we want to go out there and score every drive.”

The ability to score on every drive at will can be attributed to a variety of factors, but Klubnik’s protection certainly has played a role. He can feel that sense of calm in the pocket. His pressure rate is down, and the number of sacks the junior has taken has also significantly decreased.

“I've got tons of comfort,” Klubnik said. “Lots and lots of comfort in those guys and just so much trust in them that I don't doubt anything whenever I'm out there behind them. So just the level of comfort that I have with them, it's huge. And I don't feel an ounce of panic or anything like that whenever I'm out there with them; I just get to be cool-minded and play quarterback.”

Holding the fifth-best QBR (ESPN quarterback rating) in the country is a distinct example of how Klubnik’s play has progressed in efficiency and how protection upfront is a big factor.

Now, Klubnik’s ascension has grown so that multiple betting sites believe he’s in contention for the Heisman Trophy, with the Tiger offense back on the national map.

Regardless of expectation, Klubnik feels a sense of calm when surveying the defense. With Virginia on the horizon (noon/ACCN), the junior continues to play at a high caliber and is also growing more comfortable in the process.

He’s more sure of his surroundings, and a clean pocket is an ideal spot to settle into. Much like his growing mindset, the protection he receives mirrors the growing attitude with this offense’s success.

Calm, cool, and collected.