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Clemson OC: 'No regret' about how QB situation was handled this year

Matt Connollyby:Matt Connolly12/04/22

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Cade Klubnik sparked Clemson on Saturday. (Eakin Howard/Getty Images)

CHARLOTTE , N.C. — Clemson freshman quarterback Cade Klubnik provided a spark to the Tigers offense Saturday night against North Carolina in the ACC championship game.

Klubnik received extended playing time for the first time this season against the Tar Heels and completed 20 of 24 passes for 279 yards and a touchdown. He added 30 rushing yards and a score on the ground.

The performance from Klubnik came a week after starting QB DJ Uiagalelei completed 8 of 29 passes for 99 yards in a loss to rival South Carolina.

Cade Klubnik did not play against the Gamecocks, despite Uiagalelei’s struggles.

Tigers OC Brandon Streeter was asked following Saturday’s game if he regrets not giving Klubnik more playing time earlier in the year.

“I mean I don’t know. I don’t think about the past, because everything’s about the future. I really do. I think our team is made of some great young men that come to work every single day and bust their tail,” Streeter said. “They’ve all gotta be ready to go. As coaches, man, we feel great about exactly how we handled every situation so far, no matter what the end result was, that’s how we feel. There’s no regret there at all.”

Streeter was asked specifically about Klubnink not playing in the South Carolina game and if he might have been able to provide a spark last week as well.

“As I’ve said in the past, I will never regret anything that we’ve decided on doing with the quarterback position,” Streeter said. “No question about it, DJ is the leader of our team. Our guys do a good job of rallying around him. It was just an unfortunate week last week. It really was.”

Klubnik entered Saturday having completed 11 of 22 passes for 98 yards, with one touchdown and one interception on the season.

He had appeared in eight games but had played more than 11 snaps only once — against Syracuse on Oct. 22.

Klubnik ended Saturday night as the MVP of the ACC title game after receiving the most playing time of his Clemson career.

“It brought a spark, for sure. It brought energy,” Streeter said of putting Klubnik in during the third series. “Guys did a great job of making plays around him. He did a great job of being ready. … It’s such a great lesson for everybody to learn.”