Clemson Tigers Quarterback Shares Thoughts on Place in Heisman Race

The Clemson Tigers have only four games left on the year, and their superstar quarterback has been a big reason for their success.

Melina Myers-Imagn Images

The Clemson Tigers have been the benefactors of spectacular quarterback play throughout Dabo Swinney's tenure as head coach of the program.

It is a list of men who have had varying levels of success throughout their careers, with some taking their talents to the gridiron on Sundays.

The most recent in that long line of excellent quarterback play is junior Cade Klubnik, now in his second year as the full-time starter for the Tigers.

After a poor showing in week one against the Georgia Bulldogs, Klubnik has turned his season, and the program's playoff chances, around completely.

He has played so well to this point in the year, that he has been named to many award watch lists, including the most prestigious, the Heisman Trophy.

The young star is not focused on that, however, and said as much to the media when asked on Wednesday.

“I’m not really looking at that at all, to be honest,” Klubnik said. “I’m just trying to go beat Louisville this week.”

It is a magnificent turnaround for the quarterback, who many wrote off after the week one dud, and it could see many people put in their place come December.

Klubnik enters the week with 1,836 yards passing and 20 touchdowns to just three interceptions on 146 of 219 passing, a 66.7 completion percentage.

The junior has been deadly accurate this year, and it has helped him already surpass last year's 19-touchdown performance.

He has been able to produce with his legs, too, adding 227 yards and four touchdowns on only 41 attempts.

Klubnik will have a rough go of it in the Heisman voting with Boise State Broncos superstar running back Ashton Jeanty and Colorado Buffaloes superstar two-way player Travis Hunter all but guaranteed to run away with the award, but we have seen what can happen when Cade and Clemson are counted out.

The Heisman Trophy has been presented to the most outstanding college football player in the country every year since 1935 but has become more of a quarterback award of late, with 19 winners since 2000 leading the huddle.

Even with that being the case, and the overpacked trophy case the Tigers have filled under Swinney, they have yet to add a Heisman Trophy winner to the list, at any point in the program's history.

That could change in the near future, however, as Cade Klubnik has proven that he is one of the premier quarterbacks in the nation today.