CLEMSON — The lightbulb is on for Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik. Skepticism surrounded the offense heading into a big matchup with a top-five Florida State team.

Yes, the Tigers lost but Klubnik looked like a completely different player from what we saw in the first three games. Quick reads, avoiding risk and standing in the pocket even when the pressure was at its’ highest. It all dwindles down to confidence and preparation, and Klubnik emphasizes that during his Monday availability.

“I felt confident going into it and I think just the game-plan that we had and the style of defense that  they ran. Obviously, I feel confident going into every game. I don’t think you can go into a game not feeling confident because there’s not a lot of good that’s going to come out of that,” Klubnik said.

That confidence translated into easily his best showing of 2023. There was a point in the game where Klubnik completed 10 straight passes, and it was like he was unconscious in a flow state. It’s something he wasn’t even aware of.

Runs like that go unnoticed because Clemson is 2-2 and that’s something Klubnik is well aware of, but it doesn’t shake his belief in this team moving forward.

“I feel like we’re rolling, we’re playing great. Offense is playing great. I mean, we really are. We’re three plays away from being 4-0 this year if you really take a step back and look at it…I felt in a groove and I think we all kind of did. We felt great playing the whole game until the very end so just got to find a way to finish,” Klubnik said.

While the season looks bleak, Garrett Riley’s offense with Klubnik at the helm is finding its identity. Yes, you need help from around the conference but Klubnik is poised to handle the Tigers’ side of the bargain.