Clemson's QB Tabbed as 'Bounce-Back Candidate' Heading into 2024 Season

After a relatively disappointing 2023 campaign, Clemon's second-year quarterback has been highlighted as a prime candidate to bounce back this season.

Dec 29, 2023; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Clemson Tigers quarterback Cade Klubnik (2) looks to pass the ball against the Kentucky Wildcats in the second quarter during the Gator Bowl at EverBank Stadium / Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

There is a lot of pressure on Clemson heading into this season to get back into the national championship mix by performing well enough during ACC play to make the expanded College Football Playoff.

Many people out there are ready to bury the Tigers after this new era of the transfer portal and NIL has seen the program's head coach Dabo Swinney refuse to adjust his past approach.

This has resulted in only one ACC Championship Game appearance in the past three years after being a perennial contender throughout his tenure.

For them to get back towards the top of the sport, Clemson needs their quarterback Cade Klubnik to become the elite player he was expected to be when he came to the program as a five-star recruit. He was handed the reins last season after DJ Uiagalelei transferred to Oregon State, but his first year as the starter didn't go as expected.

He threw for 2,844 yards and 19 touchdowns to go along with nine interceptions. He added 182 on the ground and four scores, but he needs to do much better than that during his junior season.

With that in mind, David Kenyon of Bleacher Report has listed Klubnik as a prime "bounce-back hopeful."

"Klubnik is an immensely talented, mobile quarterback and looks fantastic in his best moments. Clemson needs them to happen more consistently, though," he writes.

There's no doubt that when he flashes his high-end stuff he showcases why he was such a coveted recruit coming out of high school. He has to improve on his turnovers, and turnover-worthy plays, during the 2024 season while also finding a way to push the ball down the field more often after averaging 6.3 yards per attempt last year.

Becoming more efficient in the red zone should also help him take his production to the next level while also having a healthy group of wide receivers, something the Tigers didn't have in 2023.

If Klubnik is able to reach his ceiling, that completely changes what this team can accomplish, and it should get them back into the CFP for the first time since 2020-21.