WATCH: Clemson quarterbacks gain advantage with Nike custom-fit footballs for games
While D.J. Uiagalelei didn’t have nearly as good a year as everyone expected of him, the Clemson Tigers are in luck. One of the nation’s most coveted quarterback prospects, Cade Klubnik, will get his chance to grab the starting job this spring for the Tigers. While the quarterback competition hasn’t heated up just yet for Clemson, they had Dan Kolcun of Big Game USA stop by their facilities to work on some Nike custom fitted footballs for their quarterbacks.
It’s really tough to really gauge just how much of an advantage a custom-fitted football will give a team, but it looks like Clemson is about to find out. Plenty of other programs across the country will likely perform the same process for their quarterbacks, too, shrinking the edge for the Tigers.
The way Kolcun talks about the football and where the laces are placed in the video above, it’s a quick reminder of something that can be very easy to forget.
One of the most understated parts of transitioning from the college game to the pro game is the ball. Former LSU receiver Ja’Marr Chase even noted in the early part of his rookie season, how the pro ball doesn’t have the white lines on it to help the receivers track the ball coming in.
The Clemson Tigers really struggled their way through the 2021-2022 college football season, for a variety of reasons. That being said, even in a down year, they still were able to win 10 games. They’ve still been one of the most dominant programs in America over the last decade. In the last 10 years, Clemson has won 121 games. The only other program in the country to win more games during that time frame was Alabama—127.
Clemson landed one of the best quarterbacks in Texas high school football history in Cade Klubnik
Cade Klubnik established himself as one of the greatest quarterbacks in Texas high school football history during his time with Westlake (Austin, Texas). He was rated as the No. 3 quarterback prospect in the nation for the 2022 recruiting cycle, according to the On3 Consensus Rankings. He was named the 2021-2022 Gatorade Texas Football Player of the Year after he completed 147 of 207 passes for 2,486 passing yards, while tossing in 34 touchdown passes and just two interceptions. On the ground, he also rushed for 362 yards and 11 touchdowns on 52 carries this season for Westlake. Among other accolades, he was also named MVP of the 2021 Elite 11 quarterback competition and was selected to play in the 2022 U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Even though he suffered a separated left shoulder his senior year, he finished with an 30-0 record during his time as the starting quarterback at Westlake. Once he hung up his cleats for the Chaps, he finished with three straight state championships. The 6-foot-1.5 inch, 180-pounder also set the program record for the most passing yards in a career.
Clemson fans have every reason in the world to be excited about their young signal-caller’s remarkably bright future.