Clemson Tigers Star Named Long Shot Heisman Trophy Candidate Entering Season

A Clemson Tigers star is considered a long shot but was mentioned among potential Heisman Trophy candidates entering the season.

Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik (2) warms up during Clemson football practice at Jervey Meadows in Clemson, S.C. Friday August 7, 2024. / Ken Ruinard / staff / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Clemson Tigers have a lot to prove in the 2024 college football season. There may not be a player on the team who is under more pressure than quarterback Cade Klubnik.

A five-star recruit coming out of Westlake High School in Austin Texas, Klubnik was the No. 1 rated quarterback in the 2022 class. Clemson was fortunate enough to land him, but he has not yet shown that elite talent he was hyped up to have.

The 2023 campaign was his first as a starter, and the results were mixed, to put it nicely.

Klubnik completed 63.9 percent of his passes for 2,844 yards with 19 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He added 185 rushing yards and four more scores on the ground.

Those are certainly serviceable numbers, but the Tigers are going to need more out of the Texas native if they are to compete for a spot in the College Football Playoff this year.

With a stellar defense in place, the offense is going to determine just how high this team can fly in 2024. An improved offensive line would go a long way in helping Klubnik raise his level of aggressiveness, pushing the ball down the field more often.

Is that something he is capable of doing? We will have to see, as Clemson has surrounded him with some elite pass-catching talent this season.

That, in part, could result in the Tigers star garnering some attention in award races. 

David Kenyon of Bleacher Report has mentioned Klubnik on his Heisman Trophy tiers, listing him among the long shots for the award. That is the fifth tier of his piece, which features some of the best quarterbacks in the nation.

“The hype around Clemson vanished early in 2023, but a late winning streak has inspired plenty of optimism for 2024. Reclaiming the ACC will hinge largely on Klubnik's performance in his second year as the Tigers' starter, though,” Kenyon wrote.

Even being mentioned along with some of those stars is an accomplishment in itself for Klubnik. The opportunity to make some noise this season will present itself, as Clemson seems to be playing a big game every week.

He and the offense will be center stage in Week 1, as they start their season off against the preseason No. 1 ranked team, the Georgia Bulldogs. There is no better time for the standout quarterback to prove he should be mentioned along with the other stars this season.