DANIA BEACH, Fla. — Cade Klubnik said he’s in a different place mentally from where he was when he first arrived on Clemson’s campus as the Tigers’ latest blue-chip quarterback recruit.

“I would just say my knowledge of the game and knowledge of defenses,” Klubnik said. “Just continue to learn every single week and not ever being satisfied. I always have more to learn and more to get better at.”

Offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter echoed that sentiment about Clemson’s freshman signal caller, but that’s not the only part of the difference he’s seen in Klubnik.

It’s been a full year since the former five-star recruit officially joined the Tigers’ program. Klubnik, who starred at Westlake (Texas) High during his prep days, signed with Clemson last December and enrolled in time for classes in January. 

He went through spring practices as an early enrollee, though a lot has changed since. Klubnik was behind rising junior D.J. Uiagalelei on the depth chart, but after the summer and a full regular season under his belt, Klubnik is now the starter.

That designation became official after a strong relief performance in the ACC championship game. Klubnik replaced Uiagalelei for the third time this season. This time, it was for good.

Klubnik threw for one touchdown and ran for another. Not only was he accurate and largely on time with his throws in his most extended playing time of the season, but Klubnik also didn’t turn the ball over, something Uiagalelei struggled to stay away from during his two seasons as Clemson’s starter.

Now Uiagalelei is headed to Oregon State as a graduate transfer. And Klubnik will get the first start of his Clemson career Friday against Tennessee in the Orange Bowl.

“Maturity as a player,” Streeter said of Klubnik. “Going through the ups and downs, he’s done a great job of that. Obviously when you come in in January, you have to learn the whole offense. So his confidence grew tremendously from when he first got here trying to figure it out to now he’s been through a full season and a full spring practice.”

Klubnik has played in eight other games this season but largely in mop-up duty. He did help Clemson rally from an 11-point second-half deficit against Syracuse in late October, but Klubnik threw just four passes in that game. In one series against Notre Dame a couple of weeks later, he was intercepted, which led to more points for the Fighting Irish in their runaway victory.

Against UNC, though, Klubnik grew up some. He went 20 of 24 passing for 279 yards, helping Clemson turn a 7-0 deficit midway through the first quarter into a 34-10 rout. Streeter said the biggest difference he’s seen in his young quarterback is the trajectory of Klubnik’s confidence.

“His confidence level is skyrocketing,” Streeter said.

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