Tempo helps Cade Klubnik on game-winning drive

Klubnik looks for a receiver against Kentucky (Photo by Merrell Mann).

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Sat Dec 30 07:00:05 GMT-04:00 2023

JACKSONVILLE, FL – An up-tempo offense was just the spark quarterback Cade Klubnik needed.

Following Kentucky’s go-ahead score with just over two minutes left in Saturday’s Gator Bowl, Clemson needed to drive 68 yards to win the game. They did just that, with Klubnik completing 8-of-8 passes on the drive as the Tigers took the tempo to another level.

“Obviously we know that they're going to be playing a lot of three-high structure, so they're going to give us some throws here and there, but also two-minute drill, so we have to get rolling, got to get set fast,” Klubnik said after the game. “We kind of knew that tempo was a problem for them coming into it, and I think that we probably gotten to a little bit of faster tempo at times throughout the game because I think they had some struggles with it, but just -- I like the pace of it, and I think that that was just kind of naturally something we did. It wasn't really something that we extra-emphasized. It's just that mentality in two-minute drills, moving fast and getting the ball set.”

The offensive line and Phil Mafah also came up big on the drive, with Mafah converting one fourth-down run and scoring the final touchdown of the game with 17 seconds remaining.

“I think one of the biggest plays was the fourth and short where everybody got set, and we snapped the ball, and Phil went and got it, and the O-line opened it up for him, and he went and got it,” Klubnik said. “That was one of the biggest plays of the game in my opinion. If you just look at that drive, it's fourth down. It's that or nothing. So just so proud of him. I mean, it really started with the offensive line. I mean, they're conditioned and ready for any tempo that we need, and they rolled around and just so proud of them the way that they came out to play today.”

Head coach Dabo Swinney said the faster tempo might be something to use with Klubnik next season.

“Well, hope so. Obviously we've got to have a touchdown with two minutes to play, so we've got to play as fast as we can, but there's no question that tempo is good for him. It really is,” Swinney said. “When he gets in rhythm, he sees it. I thought that we did a good job with that, and we had the three time-outs. You are trying to -- unfortunately, we had to give up one on the grounding, but it was awesome. What a drive. Again, that is the type of game that a young quarterback -- as a coach, it's painful when you have to go through those things, but that's how a young quarterback grows for sure. He'll never forget that, and neither will anybody else. The players, the offensive line. It just fuels him moving forward.

“It was well-orchestrated. Obviously you don't plan on getting a third and 18. Had a couple of groundings. Have to watch the film on that. We'll talk about that, Cade. We overcame it. I mean, it was just an unbelievable play and effort to get the first down and then to finish it the way we did. Again, we had one left, and you are, like, all right, we're going to try to run one in here. If we don't get it, we'll call time-out, and Cade, you're going to have a couple of plays, and it's got to be in the end zone, touchdown, incomplete, whatever.”