During an episode of ESPN’s College Football Live this week, longtime ESPN college football analyst and former Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard weighed in on Cade Klubnik ahead of the 2023 season.

Howard, the former Michigan All-American receiver, said he’s “really excited” to see what Klubnik does in his first season as Clemson’s full-time starting quarterback, with last year’s starter, DJ Uiagalelei, having transferred to Oregon State.

“When you look at the Tigers and when they were on that run, they had just exceptional play at the quarterback position, especially ending with a guy like Trevor Lawrence. And we thought that DJ Uiagalelei was going to be the next guy in line, but he just didn’t fill out the way we thought he would at the quarterback position. He had moments of brilliance, but nothing consistent, so they couldn’t play that complimentary football. Put them in bad situations too often, kept the defense on the field a lot because the offense was three-and-out too many times,” said Howard, the 1991 Heisman winner and Super Bowl XXXI MVP who joined ESPN a few years after his 11-year NFL career concluded in 2002.

“Cade Klubnik, as a freshman, came in with a lot of hype and he was like a breath of fresh air because he could make plays with his legs that DJ couldn’t. But once defenses, they figured that out, that he was going to be a guy using his legs more than his arm, then they were able to pretty much stop or contain Cade Klubnik. So now he’s had an opportunity to play in some live games, he understands the speed of the game.”

Klubnik enters 2023 having completed 61-of-100 career passes for 697 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions over 10 games (one start). The former five-star prospect from Texas also rushed 42 times for 139 yards and two touchdowns as a freshman in 2022.

Before throwing for 320 yards with two interceptions and rushing 20 times for 51 yards and a touchdown in the Orange Bowl, Klubnik earned ACC Championship Game MVP honors against North Carolina after completing 20-of-24 passes for 279 yards and a touchdown while rushing seven times for 30 yards with another score on the ground.

Howard was asked what he specifically wants to see out of Klubnik this season.

“It’s very easy. I just want to see consistency and I want to see him be able to sit in the pocket and read defenses and not go to his default,” Howard said. “When you’re a young quarterback and you’re a dual-threat quarterback, your default is always to use your legs to get out of trouble. I want to see him read defenses, go through his progression, first read, second read. If things are getting a little shaky in the pocket, don’t escape the pocket with your legs but use your legs in the pocket to move around to buy yourself some more time until something comes open down the field.

“So, I don’t want him to go to his default instantly once his first read is covered. I want him to be able to read the defenses, look at the front. Things should slow down for him now and he should be able to play with better composure inside the pocket this season.”

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