If you’re talking about a young person who has the right mindset and attitude about the on-coming storm of recruiting, look no further than Austin, Texas (Westlake) 2022 quarterback, Cade Klubnik.
It’s not very often we talk to a young man who is so determined to keep all things in perspective, but Klubnik is a special breed.
He isn’t even keeping track of the number of offers he has (16), nor does he have his last-season stats, “I know I had a 77.2 completion rate”, he said.
You see, Klubnik is a faith warrior; holding bible studies in his home, and believing that, no matter how well he performs on the field and how many offers come in, he’s put his hope and his life into the Hands of the Living God and for that, he won’t let all the stars and accolades go to his head.
But on the field Klubnik is a guy you want to have making the offensive decisions when the game is on the line.
He’s a scrambler, sees the field with precision and has a cannon of an arm. Klubnik is also very skilled in sensing back-side pressure and escaping the blitz. His vision is such that he follows the blocks and will tuck and run for big yardage.
At 6-2 1/2, 180, Klubnik says he’s not a guy you can pigeon-hole as a dual-threat or even pro-style quarterback.
“I don’t like to be classified”, he said, “I feel that I’m mobile and I can scramble and move around.”
Last season Klubnik didn’t take over the starting job until week 10 of his season and then had a thumb injury.
“I only played about a third of every game”, he said, but that completion percentage and the eye-ball test on film was enough to grab the attention of Power Five schools.
Indeed — just watch his video.
This guy’s ceiling is so high at the next level that he’s already been offered by schools such as Auburn, Miami, Nebraska, Ole Miss, Baylor, Arizona, and several others — including Washington who just offered a little over a week ago.
“That’s a big-time offer”, Klubnik said, “They’re good every year…I began talking to Coach Donovan two or three weeks ago and we got on a zoom call. He’s a cool guy with a real good personality. We’ve stayed in close communication.”
Despite the setbacks COVID has presented, Klubnik does believe he will get to Washington at some point in the future, and fortunately it’s still very early in the process.
But for now, COVID has hit home for this young man and his family, “I’ve been in quarantine…I just woke up with a real bad headache”, he said, “Then I had a cough and got tested.”
He tested positive for the virus and both he and his mother have recovered fully now.
“It wasn’t that bad”, he said, noting that he is glad that now he will have immunity to the virus, “I’m glad I got it and got over it”, he said.
The next step will be to begin a later season, but before getting sick Klubnik had been participating in team-led practices.
In the future, Klubnik said he is looking for a place where the culture is good, “The fans, the type of people, and the environment will be real important for me”, he said.
