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Replies: 15
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Game Changer [1671]
TigerPulse: 83%
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Unsure why people are expecting QB-CK to be more than he ever has been.
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Sep 26, 2025, 1:10 PM
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Going into the season, I thought it was silly that Clemson was seen to be "improved" because they played well against Texas in the CFP, a game that they still lost by double digits, and were never really a threat.
I have never felt Cade Klubnik was a strong QB.
I just never saw much behind his eyes or in his demeanor. I went into most games feeling very nervous. Now, I recognize DW4 and Trevor L were special special rate QBs. But Cade was "highly" touted.
So why did everyone think he was going to greatly improve or be more than he has been so far?
I went back and looked at Cade's career.
If my eyesight, math and reasoning are accurate, Cade has been pretty darn average for his career at Clemson especially when you look at what many of us would call the main games. Those would be games played against ranked teams, bowl games, CFP game and versus usc.
Again if my review is correct since late season 2022, Cade has played in 12 games total like that while at Clemson. And his record is .500... 6W to 6L in those games.
And in those games:
His QBR is 58.6.
His completion % is 62.2%
He was 11TDs and 9INTs
He avg'd 35.75 Attempts - with High of 54 vs Tenn in 2022 and low of 24 vs UNC in 2022.
His rush avg was 1.3 yds per carry.
He has a total of 29 sacks. (KY game of 2023 is credited with 9 sacks.)
That again is 6 Ws to 6 Ls vs ranked teams, bowl games, CFP game and versus usc.
And important to note, from 2022 to 2025, Cade Klubnik has played 6 of the ranked teams or vs usc at home. Only games away from Death Valley vs ranked teams are ACC champ and Bowl games, the lone CFP game was an away game since it was in Texas.
- 6 home games vs 1 away game vs ranked opponents.
The breakdown of games are:
2022 = ACC Champ Game vs #23 UNC, Bowl Game vs #6 TN - 1W / 1L (No usc game that year)
2023 = #4 FSU, #15 ND, #20 UNC, vs usc, Bowl Game vs KY - 4W / 1L
2024 = #1 UGA, #15 usc , ACC champ game #8 SMU, and @#5 Tex - 1W / 3L
2025 = # 9 LSU - 0W / 1L
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Asst Coach [859]
TigerPulse: 97%
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Re: Unsure why people are expecting QB-CK to be more than he ever has been.
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Sep 26, 2025, 1:15 PM
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I really don’t get it. Even the media seemed in on the gaslighting that Cade was elite.
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Rival Killer [2867]
TigerPulse: 100%
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Re: Unsure why people are expecting QB-CK to be more than he ever has been.
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Sep 26, 2025, 1:22 PM
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I think a lot of fans saw a Bo Nix type progression. He had a good year but not great year before progressing into a great year. It is logical to expect CK to progress. Unfortunately it has not happened.
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Associate AD [1022]
TigerPulse: 88%
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Re: Unsure why people are expecting QB-CK to be more than he ever has been.
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Sep 26, 2025, 1:28 PM
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Also the top heisman trophy contender.
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Game Changer [1924]
TigerPulse: 100%
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Good point but
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Sep 26, 2025, 1:31 PM
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It's tough to make comparisons to DW and TL. Both had really solid teams around them.
DW had a 5.1 yard/carry back in Wayne Gallman, elite WR corps (Williams, Renfrow, Scott, McCloud/Cain sorta) and a decent o-line.
TL had a 7.2 yard/carry back in Etienne (greatest ACC RB imo), elite WR corps (Rodgers, Renfrow, Higgins, and Ross) and a decent o-line.
CK2 has had a commitee of 5~ yd backs (Shipley, Mafah, and Randall), one good WR (Williams), some ok dudes, and an average O-line. He's also been surrounded by the worst defense in the last 10~ years.
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What's shocking to me is we have arguably the best team around him this year and we still can't do anything offensively. Teams now have so much footage on him that it's easy to defeat the guy. No one on the Clemson offense scares anybody. And that's an easy thing to game plan against.
In the past we had 1-2 dudes on the field in all crucial times that you had to FEAR. Now, we don't have any dudes I think defenses would fear and we probably haven't since ETN roamed the field.
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CU Guru [1520]
TigerPulse: 100%
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Re: Good point but
Sep 27, 2025, 8:41 AM
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I though our WR room was going to be:
”multiple waves of terror”
The hype and wishcasting this offseason was just way too much…I think it really did impact the players!
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Valley Legend [12776]
TigerPulse: 89%
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Posts: 15206
Joined: 2004
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yeah....Clemson did NOT "play well" vs Texas......
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Sep 26, 2025, 1:34 PM
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the game was over EARLY and Texas knew it.
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Head Coach [998]
TigerPulse: 100%
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Re: Unsure why people are expecting QB-CK to be more than he ever has been.
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Sep 26, 2025, 2:04 PM
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You have way too much time on your hands.
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Game Changer [1671]
TigerPulse: 83%
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Re: Unsure why people are expecting QB-CK to be more than he ever has been.
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Sep 27, 2025, 8:12 AM
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Kind of like you to find a post and comment on it.
I like real data and information to form my opinions and insights.
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All-Pro [792]
TigerPulse: 75%
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Re: Unsure why people are expecting QB-CK to be more than he ever has been.
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Sep 26, 2025, 2:20 PM
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People believed it because the head coach did a good job of marketing his QB. This is what a head coach should do. If you watched Cade in his games against SEC teams (like it or not the SEC is the measuring stick) he wasn't impressive. Regardless of all the coach speak you can't put syrup on sh!+ and call it pancakes. Plain and Simple!!!
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Freshman [10]
TigerPulse: 100%
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Re: Unsure why people are expecting QB-CK to be more than he ever has been.
Sep 26, 2025, 3:08 PM
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I completely agree about Cade.If you watch E.Mac’s film room he really exposed how many times Cade either misses or doesn’t even see a WIDE OPEN receiver for good yardage or possibly a touchdown.
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Game Day Hero [4552]
TigerPulse: 100%
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Re: Unsure why people are expecting QB-CK to be more than he ever has been.
Sep 26, 2025, 3:24 PM
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Because the addition of Wesco and Moore gave the impression he was an entirely different QB than the prior year.
Add in the missing piece ( TS ) as a Higgins or MW type WR and a room full of quality TEs and expected improvement at Oline , articles about CKs unmatched work ethic and attendance at elite QB camps and Bingo. You have a mixture for excitement. 26 -6 TD to interceptions ratio remember . Then Paul Finebaum , Greg McElroy , Josh Pate etc., and the beat goes on. Bigger letdown than DJ and it's early yet
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Rival Killer [2668]
TigerPulse: 98%
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Re: Unsure why people are expecting QB-CK to be more than he ever has been.
Sep 26, 2025, 4:20 PM
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Improvement was expected. Instead, he has regressed.
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Game Changer [2029]
TigerPulse: 100%
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Re: Unsure why people are expecting QB-CK to be more than he ever has been.
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Sep 26, 2025, 4:40 PM
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Texas played zone. Almost exclusively by design and all the more when they built a lead. So there was space. And they weren’t continuing to blitz with a lead either. So there was time. Last of all there was no pressure and the joy of playing in front of the hometown crowd in addition to having some pretty good receivers to throw to.
That’s why we made a game of it at texas and that game is the entire basis of CKs preseason hype.
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Game Changer [1671]
TigerPulse: 83%
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Re: Unsure why people are expecting QB-CK to be more than he ever has been.
Sep 27, 2025, 8:31 AM
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I just never saw Clemson making a "game" of that CFP vs Texas. It was fool's gold.
We scored first. Then Texas scored 21 unanswered points. Then we made a FG with 1:33 to go before halftime. Then Tex scored a TD in 65 seconds.
Halftime 28-10
3rd Qtr - They kick FG, we score TD with 3:29 left in 4th 31-17 to be two scores down
4th Qtr - We score a TD with 11:43 in the game.
--- And around this time, people think Clemson is making a game of it. But really Tex relaxed. They let up. Defense went back soft like a poster said earlier. And snapped back into place. Scored a TD 55 seconds after Clemson scored.
Still 10 min 48 seconds to go in the game. We are down 14 points 38-24.
We go 9 plays 73 yards in 3min 24 second. Have 1st and goal from the 5 with 8:46 to go. Turn over on downs.
We get the ball back after a fumble, but very little time left.
And when we end the game with 3 incompletions.
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National Champion [7691]
TigerPulse: 100%
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Re: Unsure why people are expecting QB-CK to be more than he ever has been.
Sep 27, 2025, 8:22 AM
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DJU on wheels.
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