CLEMSON — What a difference a year makes.

This time last year, many were questioning whether or not Cade Klubnik had what it took to be a successful starting quarterback at a school like Clemson. Klubnik was coming off of his first year as the full-time starter for the Tigers, a season that was littered with inconsistency.

Klubnik didn’t let the outside noise get to him, though. He kept his head down, kept working, then went out and silenced most of those critics with an outstanding junior campaign that saw him throw for more than 3,600 yards with 36 touchdowns.

Where he really improved was in his ability to protect the football. After throwing nine interceptions and fumbling it 10 times (five lost) as a sophomore, Klubnik only threw six picks last season and he didn’t fumble the ball a single time.

Despite all that improvement, Garrett Riley insists there is another step Klubnik can take.

“What we are preaching to our guys is we think there is so much more there, for him, for us offensively, and for our team. There is just so much there,” the Tigers’ offensive coordinator said during Clemson’s annual media outing. “There is still so much room for growth, and that is what’s exciting. That is what these guys are chasing. They are chasing that.”

Not only does Riley believe there is more room for growth, but Klubnik does too, and the offensive coordinator is determined to help his quarterback fulfill that potential.

“I think there is still a big area of growth, I really do,” Riley said. “I think he knows that. Again, that is what we are all chasing. That is what he is chasing. I just think the sky is the limit for that kid. I really do. A lot of room for improvement for sure.”

After turning in the kind of season he did as a junior, the expectations have ramped back up, with Klubnik regularly mentioned as a Heisman candidate. And with those kinds of expectations comes the possibility of major distractions.

However, what Riley has seen is a quarterback not susceptible to that outside noise. What he has seen is a quarterback laser-focused on the task at hand, and that should bode well for the Tigers’ offense.

“He knows what is important, as far as being where your feet are and giving everything you have with what you are doing on that day in that moment, and what we are chasing this season,” Riley said. “As we all know, a lot of that stuff is going to take care of itself. I think that is something he does really well. I think that is a strength of his. We do have some general talks here and there about big picture stuff, but nothing where I am having to bring him in every week and have to address stuff like this.