Klubnik, Tigers Ready to Have Fun in Durham
By: jackie-gill September 1, 2023

CLEMSON — Cade Klubnik cannot wait to get on the field when No. 9 Clemson visits Duke Monday night at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, N.C.

Though he will be making just his second career start and doing it with millions of people watching all across the country, the Tigers’ quarterback is not worried about such trivial things.

“I’m excited. I don’t really get too nervous because I get to go play,” Klubnik said.

With a new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in Garrett Riley, Klubnik spent much of the off-season learning Clemson’s new offense. It’s an offense that fits to Klubnik’s strengths as a passer and as a runner.

“You want to utilize his skill set as best you can, but not overdoing it,” Riley said. “He definitely has the skills to be a weapon with his feet.”

Klubnik showed off those skills in both the ACC Championship Game against North Carolina and against Tennessee in the Orange Bowl. Against the Tar Heels he ran for 30 yards on seven carries and scored a touchdown, while gaining 51 yards and scoring a touchdown in the Orange Bowl.

“He’s sneaky fast. If he gets out in the open, no one’s going to catch him,” Clemson safety Andrew Mukuba said.

Klubnik has proven he can throw the football, too. The sophomore completed 20-of-24 passes for 279 yards and a touchdown in being voted the MVP of the ACC Championship Game.

He followed that up with a 320-yard effort in the loss to Tennessee on 30-of-54 passing.

In both cases, Klubnik was out there having fun. Doing whatever he could to help the Tigers win the game. He will try to do that same thing on Labor Day night at Duke.

“Every day we go out and practice, we are acting like it’s a game. We try to practice like there are ninety thousand fans watching us,” he said.

On Monday night at 8 p.m., the fans will definitely be watching to see Cade Klubnik in action. Though it will not be 90,000, it will millions.

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