Has Clemson Tigers Quarterback Cade Klubnik Taken the Next Step?

Cade Klubnik has looked like a different quarterback over the last two weeks for the Clemson Tigers.

Ken Ruinard-Imagn Images

The Clemson Tigers earned a huge win over the North Carolina State Wolfpack on Saturday afternoon by a score of 59-35 in a game where the offense looked as prolific as it has in some time once again.

It was a continuation of the performance two weeks prior against Appalachian State where the Tigers scored 56 first half points and Cade Klubnik accounted for seven of the eight touchdowns. This week, Clemson put up 45 in the first half including 28 in the first quarter after scoring touchdowns on the first four drives of the game.

After a week one 31-point loss to Georgia in which Klubnik was 18 of 29 for just 142 yards, no touchdowns, and an interception, the Clemson signal caller has looked like a different quarterback over the last two games than he has in his entire Tiger career thus far. Against Georgia, the Tigers put up less than 200 yards as a team. Against App State and NC State, they put up over 1,200 yards combined.

All of this to say, the question now of course becomes whether the 2-game dominant run has been a mirage, or if Klubnik has truly rounded the corner as a quarterback in his junior season. Context is important here. The week after Clemson destroyed the Mountaineers, App State was embarrassed by South Alabama at home 48-14.

The same week while the Tigers were on a bye, the Wolfpack struggled mightily with Louisiana Tech, trailing at halftime and tied headed into the 4th before earning a 30-20 victory. It is certainly possible that Clemson has had good fortune with regards to how the schedule has worked out in receiving an opportunity to get right after a rough showing against Georgia.

Reality is probably somewhere in the middle for the Tigers and Klubnik. He without a doubt has looked more poised and more confident over the last two games, something that unquestionably is critical for a quarterback.

In order to truly get a read on where Klubnik is at in his development, we will have to see him face some adversity. Perhaps not adversity like playing the best defense in the country and not being able to do anything on offense as was the case against the Bulldogs, but adversity in the sense that things aren't easy from the jump as they have been over the last two games.

Stanford on Saturday evening at home presents an interesting challenge. The Cardinal are fresh off a close win against Syracuse coming off their bye. In week one, Stanford lost a close one to TCU before dominating Cal Poly in week two. But with it being another home game against an opponent that will again be vastly inferior from a talent standpoint, look for Klubnik to shine once again.