Five most important players to a deep Clemson CFP run: Cade Klubnik

Cade Klubnik will likely need to make some plays with his legs.

Grayson Mann - Staff Writer - Wednesday, December 18 2024

“Why not us?”

Those were the words of Dabo Swinney days before the ACC Championship. He believed that if Clemson could enter the College Football Playoff, they’d have as good a chance as anyone.

That belief has defined him and his program for over a decade, as has success in the four-team playoff era.

Clemson was in the national championship four times in six appearances, taking home two titles.

Things have changed since a Dabo Swinney-led team was last in the CFP. The bracket has expanded, and more games stand in the way of a third national title under his leadership.

So, who is vital to Clemson’s success to make a significant run in this new postseason?

We have our top five. Here’s our list.

1) QB Cade Klubnik

In the summer, we produced a ten-part series of Clemson’s ten most important players for a successful season.

Cade Klubnik was the easy choice for the top spot. Not only is this a sport driven by success at the most important position in all sports, but his play would also determine whether the Tigers were a team destined for the CFP or the Gator Bowl.

Klubnik was teetering on thin ice entering his junior year, carrying massive expectations entering 2023 that were certainly not met after a 4-4 start to 2023. There were a lot of issues with the Clemson offense, and while not everything was squarely on the sophomore quarterback, some of his decision-making in-game didn’t help.

What would a junior year version of the former Westlake star look like? Add freshman receivers and an improved offensive line, and there was an emphatic answer to that question.

Klubnik has arguably played like a Top 10 quarterback in college football, posting 40 total touchdowns to just five interceptions while nearly totaling 4,000 total yards through the ground and air.

Turning on the tape, his decision-making has drastically improved, cutting down on unnecessarily putting the ball in harm’s way. His movement in the pocket has also grown, and he isn’t as prone to escape the pocket and rifle shots down the field to his open recievers.

You can debate the quality of opponents Klubnik has faced all year, but in 2023, the Tigers struggled to defeat those teams, whereas this year, they blew the doors off of inferior competition.

Klubnik also put together signature moments that will define his Tiger career, with his 50-yard rushing touchdown being the play that gave Clemson enough to eventually sneak into the ACC Championship.

Against SMU, Klubnik put together some of his best football, totaling three first-half touchdowns, and a strike to Antonio Williams to set up a Hauser game-winning field goal.

It hasn’t all been perfect for the junior quarterback, and he’d be the first to let you know. One undeniable thing is his growth from his first year as the starter to his second.

That growth was enough to send Clemson to the College Football Playoff, with a matchup against Texas looming in the coming days.

Klubnik can join Trevor Lawrence and Deshaun Watson with a win over Texas as the only Clemson quarterbacks to win a playoff game. Certainly, this time of year can shape your legacy and immortalize yourself in the program’s lore.

Given everything the last three seasons have been for the Tigers, a win over Texas would go a long way.

For that to be realized, Klubnik’s play will have to continue to elevate as the stakes will be as high as they’ve been in his career.