Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik is entering the 2025 season with Heisman trophy aspirations and buzz as a potential No. 1 overall NFL draft pick. But for his offensive coordinator, Garrett Riley, the key to Klubnik reaching that elite status isn't about making more spectacular plays—it's about perfecting the simple ones.
"The routine, automatic plays, is really probably the main charge that I've given him," Riley revealed. "He's the type of player that, you know, when routine plays are there, routine things are there, we gotta hit those every time. That's the caliber of a player [he is]."
After two full seasons in Riley's system, Klubnik has developed a deep command of the offense, giving his coach a high comfort level to let him make checks and changes at the line of scrimmage. Now, it's about leveraging that experience into flawless execution.
"This game's going to continue to slow down for him, I think, as this season goes on and he's heading into his senior year," Riley said. "So, expect a lot of big things from him, for sure."
Having a seasoned veteran like Klubnik under center is a massive advantage heading into a chaotic Week 1 environment against LSU's mysterious defense.
"It helps," Riley said of having Klubnik's experience. "We've got a lot of people on our side of the ball that have played together... they've been through ups and downs together. I think we got a group that can certainly draw from those experiences."