CLEMSON — For a quarterback’s first year as the starter, it’s always a challenge to figure out how much responsibility and trust the coaches have in their pre-snap adjustments. For sophomore Cade Klubnik, it’s clear he has the reins in this offense.

Halfway through the first quarter, the Clemson Tigers scored their second touchdown of the game on a strike from Klubnik to freshman wide receiver Tyler Brown, who’s proving to be one of this team’s best weapons.

Brown ended up wide open on a post for the 30-yard score, but it turns out that wasn’t the initial play. After the game, he broke down now Klubnik’s audible created the score.

“The post route man. The play, [Klubnik] actually changed the play. He’s so smart man, He changed the play from what it was, he had seen that post route would be wide open. We’ve been practicing all week in practice and we made it happen. It was supposed to be a box fade, but he checked it to a post last minute and made it happen,” Brown said.

For a first-year starter to make those quick decisions with his eyes is invaluable. It’s something that’s much more evident at the NFL level, with football’s best making pre-snap reads that lead to touchdowns.

Klubnik did just that agains Florida Atlantic, and it speaks to the trust offensive coordinator Garrett Riley and the staff as a whole have in him. As the Tigers prepare for a heavyweight matchup with Florida State, it’s a different level of defense and Klubnik’s eyes can take a lot of pressure off this offense.