There’s only one position intrinsically tied to a leadership role on a football team, and that’s the quarterback. Some people are better suited to lead, while others have to learn. Regardless, teammates will look up to them. Fortunately for Clemson, Cade Klubnik has done a great job so far.
On Monday after practice, Clemson Insider interviewed some players as they came off the field. Offensive lineman Collin Sadler opened up about his feelings for Klubnik. “That is a guy I would run through a brick wall for,” said Sadler.
As a QB, there are no sweeter words to hear from the big guys blocking for you. “So, I am just excited to go out there and see what he can do,” finished Sadler. When asked why he would “run through a brick wall” for the second-year starter, Sadler said, “He’s genuine. He’s not concerned with putting on a front for anybody. It’s just Cade, and he knows that, and he knows that we know that.”
The homegrown OL talent went even further, detailing how Klubnik has matured throughout the summer. “Cade has done an incredible job stepping up as a leader,” Sadler said. “I feel like he is really coming into himself, and he is figuring out who Cade Klubnik really is, and that’s showing dividends out on the field.”
Undoubtedly, the reason it’s “showing dividends out on the field’ is because of the effect he has on the people around him. Great leaders don’t have to be the most talented, but they do need to bring out the talent in others. Is it enough to take Clemson to another National Championship game? Maybe, maybe not, but it’s a good start.