In the world of college football, the quarterback position is the straw that stirs the drink. Georgia doesn’t currently have a quarterback in the class of 2022, but they are working diligently to add a commitment in that class. There are many extremely talented high school junior quarterbacks across the country and Georgia is leaving no stone unturned. Their search has rather recently narrowed in on the Lonestar State of Texas.
4-Star Cade Klubnik from Austin received an offer from UGA on October 20th, and since I’ve spoken with him about the relationship with the Dawgs, Todd Monken, and Buster Faulkner. In the time I spoke to him, Klubnik detailed getting recruited and playing during the pandemic, being tested mentally by college coaches, and even plans of being in Athens this weekend to see the University of Georgia for himself in an unofficial capacity. Check out the conversation below.
Q: How has your season been going? What’s it like playing through COVID, especially in a big football state like Texas?
“It’s been good. We are off to a good start, but our game this week actually gone postponed and moved to our bye week. We had 3 guys test positive, and it really hasn’t been that big of a deal, but they are being cautious and we’ll make it up later. So it’s good.
“Playing football in Texas is great, the town loves it and usually we have huge crowds, but that’s different this year.”
Q: What has the recruiting process in general been like for you?
“I mean, it hasn’t been quite ideal, per se. I got my first offer in January, and then I had around two or three visits scheduled for a couple different schools and then everything got shut down because the COVID. So, I haven’t visited anywhere. Literally my entire recruiting process and system has been all phone, facetime, zoom, and texting. So it hasn’t been quite ideal. I haven’t been on get on campuses as much as at all. But, it has still been awesome! It’s been so fun just getting to getting to live through this, and it’s something I’ve been dreaming about for a long time.”
Q: When did the relationship with Georgia start and what have the conversations been like?
“I started talking with Georgia about a month ago. They really reached out right before the start of the season and I think just wanted to see me play again. Then the offer came and that was exciting.”
“I was first talking to Coach Faulkner and then I began getting to know Coach Monken. A lot of the conversations are kind of getting to know one another, but we also talk about football. They haven’t gotten into too much about their offense specifically, but they’ve definitely talked to me a bout defenses and coverages and have gotten to see what all I know about football.”
Q: How much have you heard about or been paying attention to Georgia’s quarterback situation and their offense?
“Yeah, I’ve been paying attention for a while now. Stetson Bennett, how he’s the starter now, and what a great story that is, crazy as a former walk-on. Of course I followed and watch Jake Fromm because he was a great quarterback there. I like their offense. It’s similar to what I’m running now. But, like I said, they (Monken & Faulkner) haven’t gone into a ton of detail about their offense, but we do talk a lot of ball and they see what I know about the game. I’m more of a student of the game and enjoy that.”
Q: How it is being labeled a “Pro-Style Quarterback” when you clearly have mobility, can create plays, and are a threat in the quarterback run game? Also, are there any quarterbacks you model your style of play after?
“I like to say I’m more of the mobile style. I’m a Pro-Style guy in the pocket, but I can use my legs if I need to and I can move around a little bit. I like watching Trevor Lawrence and Aaron Rodgers play. They’re great in the pocket but can also run and be creative.”
Q: On top schools, important factors in recruitment, timeline and visits.
“I wouldn’t say I have a top anything right now just because I really wanna get a campuses and stuff. So I’m I’m gonna stay pretty open for a little bit. Um, but I mean, yeah, I’ve been I’ve been talking a few more than others, but I just kind of keep it on the from the down.”
“I kind of always stuck by a few things. Definitely the culture of the school. Just, all around, you know, I want to go to school with good people. For sure. Then, definitely, just a great great consistency of success at the at the football program. I don’t want to go somewhere to go one and ten or one and nine. I want to win! Need to have great coaches and coaches I enjoy being with and obviously great academics.”
“For sure for sure. Yes, sir. Definitely going to visit Georgia. I’m actually gonna I’m gonna end up swinging by their campus this weekend. Um, I’m gonna be out of town, and it’s gonna be on the way. So I’m going to end up swinging by the campus this weekend, and I’ll just kind of visit on my own on Sunday. Just going to kind of look around and everything. Obviously, it’s not a real visit or anything, but just to check it all out and kind of get a first glance, so it’ll be pretty fun.”
“I would like to be committed by sometime in April. Quarterbacks usually go early in the class and I’d like to do that.”
Georgia is high on the 6’2″ 180 pound quarterback and his ability to display poise and have a great presence in the pocket. The staff has communicated to Klubnik that they like how he can, “sit back there and go through reads, not panic and not get crazy feet and try to bail out of there too fast.” Of course the ability to escape and allude pressure is always attractive and virtually necessary in the game today. Klubnik can stretch the field and has good accuracy. All of those traits have helped Klubnik lead his Westlake High School team to a 4-0 start in which they’ve 55.75 points per game and Cade has thrown for 910 yards and 9 touchdowns, while rushing for 5 more.
It will be interesting to get the recent Georgia offer’s take on the Classic City after his visit this weekend. We at Bulldawg Illustrated will follow up and report back on the trip. In the meantime it seems that Georgia is and will remain a key cog in the recruitment of the Texas gunslinger.
How long before UT fires Pruitt? the over/under is 1.5 years
If he wasn’t such a turd he’s a really good coach and recruiter. I don’t think they’re going to get anyone much better up there.
Yeah, his prob is that a big time college coach is more like a corporate exec these days. they can’t lose control and fire assistants on the sideline. Management is as important as coaching in that job.
Pruitt just doesn’t have it….now watch him win the next ten nattys ###
I agree that he is a really good coach. I think the jury is still out on whether or not he can be a really good head coach. You aren’t competing with the elites with the roster he has.
The good thing for Pruitt is that the 2nd half of the football schedule tends to be pretty winnable for Tenn but at some point you have to get that signature win.
Eight in a row baby, UTs back!!! #####
Tennessee loves to turn the ball over for Tds! Hahahahaha
Big loss on bama’s offense. But they still got two guys that will tear you apart.
What time is the game in Lex?
12:00 I think
12
Good – they have a history of tough games vs. UGA in Lex at night
Kentucky stinks. They should even score a td on us
Saban just said Waddle’s out for the season! Praying the kid makes a full recovery.
absolutely
May be the last time he sees the field in a Bama uniform…hopefully he will have a full recovery…
tech losing 31-14 to BC
If I could have one player off their team I would take Jamyr Gibbs in a heartbeat. Dude is a baller.
yep. other than a few , they just don’t have d1 talent
I said last year that there were 2 or 3 7A high school teams in GA that would give them a game. I was only partially joking
at the half Kentucky has 65 total yards, 9 thru the air…sheesh
sleepwalking
so is Ky worse than I thought on offense or is Miz better than I thought on D?
Some of both, I think. Mizzou is getter pretty good with that offense. UK might have been looking ahead to UGA. They seem dead, no fire, little hustle – esp. that OL that is supposed to be the strength of the team
I’m normally a big fan of Ky but these guys do look dead. Stoops needs to figure out some way to wake them up.
https://twitter.com/jeffsentell/status/1320102220583624705
Had to go grab a burger off the grill – anything happening?
Well, so far this year Kobe died, there was a global pandemic, massive protests in the street, murder hornets came to america, Jamie Newman came to UGA and left before he took a snap. I might have missed a couple things, but that’s the gist.
Hyatt catches long pass for UT TD.. 21-10 Ala
Gitmo gets a bad rap sometimes. Put him in our offense and he is a much better QB.
Not trying to stir up controversy, but per 247 UGA offered Mizzou’s QB Connor Bazelak. Wonder what the story was, he looks legit.
no clue
Ran the option in HS. Barton Simmons was raving about the kid on his podcast
Like how his HC takes advantage of his option background
be fair. UGA offers tons of kids…now if they are commitable offers is a different story
I just think no matter how you slice it, Beck was the more attractive recruit, assuming you are saying we should have recruited him harder.
Except is Bazelak a rFR?
True freshman. Not trying to say UGA should have recruited instead of Beck, just saying UGA was his biggest offer and he looks much better than his ranking. Looks like most of CFB missed on him
Curious if he visited or came to camp?
he is RS Freshman.. came in 2019.. played at end of season and was injured. UGA took Dwan Mathis in that class
Yep, my mistake. Ang over brain
One thing that I like with this platform is the ability to stick threads to the top. I just did that with my UK/Mo thread above
This is quite a change since last weekend.
I actually like it much better……♂️
National media asking if UTk fans still happy about Pruitt over Schiano lol
Was that Waddle getting into an ambulance?
Probably, it must have been bad due to the rush to get him into the med area
Yeah, like broken ankle. Doesn’t seem like an achilles style injury, but guess we’ll have to wait to find out.
Watching UK/Mizzou – Kentucky OL is pretty good – pretty good, not great
Miz has a pretty imaginative offense
I was skeptical of their HC hire, but it looks like he’s the real deal.
It is, but so far, I have yet to see anything from either of these teams that worries me even a little. Maybe that’s a little too much over confidence, but…
agree – but both will be up for UGA
Agreed.
UK formations are tight – they seem to be trying to play a power game – they have some good backs – but the Dawgs front will eat them alive
Mizzou play an opposite game offensively (to UK). Tempo – sideline to sideline game. They’ll score some point on UGA, but the D will get 3rd down stops and turnovers.
UK OL getting spanked and they don’t seem to care
UGA down DLs will eat Mizzou’s OL alive – that with free the blitzing lbs and dbs
Whadda you call here?
Vol fans are already upset! Lol
Holy Najee Harris! Wow what an impressive run
He walked off the field after Jones snuck it in looking kinda ticked off he didn’t get the TD.
Tennessee gonna get blown out
https://twitter.com/dawgsonline/status/1320089121864491011
siap but…RIP Jerry Jeff Walker…think I wore out two Viva Terlingua LPs…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WI1sTyaErW0
I saw that earlier today, may he RIP.
Jalen Waddle injured! It looks bad too. Praying it isn’t, I love the young man’s game.
Yeah, he’s dynamic
Wow…SEC gotta get their stuff together on targeting.
what happen
They called targeting and reviewed it and reversed it. It was about as by the book targeting as you could get.
I thought the rule was.. put your head down… impact with the crown… then you can’t control the impact and the flag stands… McCullough clearly put that head down…
Targeting call overturned
what game was that in
bama
less than that and Nebraska guy got thrown out
Less that that and RL2 got tossed.
gonna get targeting
I don’t know how a defender avoids targeting in that situation – all the O-guy had to do is keep getting lower
Wow – but I agree
Joe Kennedy, if you get some of those glasses and a pair of those killer ear rings, you’d could pass for this dude. I’m sure you can rhyme.
https://twitter.com/Andyvflbowser/status/1319976091499548674
Hahahahahahahahaha. Except for I have a lil bit more hair than he has.lol
Inbreeding is no bueno###
Poor FSU. How did they beat Unc? Wait I know the answer! A pathetic conference that’s why
The QB who really gave their offense a tremendous spark against UNC got injured at the end of the game. Without him, they’re a much different team so it’s pretty apparent to me that he didn’t play today.
Fields with only 1 inc in the game. Wow
Gus barely escaped. I think that’s the kind of season they will have this year
I hate the Barn at least as much as you hate Clem & SC.
That being said I’m ok with Gus “win-just-enough” Malzahn getting the win if it helps him keep his job another season. Kirby got’s his number.
Dang, you hate them badly then.lol
Tackling in this games reminds me of middle school
Hahahahahahahahaha
TD AU
sack
Nix has the ball at the 25 with 2:25 to play down 1
#71 – looks like left knee
Gotta root for AU. Just feel like keeping Gus around benefits UGA.. otherwise.. go OM!
Review team obviously rooting for AU too. That’s 2x this season.
Clemson apparently relaxed coming into this game – esp. after Syracuse lost to Liberty
annnd Syr. gives them a TD
Get em Syracuse!
Syracuse playing Clemson tough
https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1320058987426074629
https://twitter.com/YahooSportsCFB/status/1320065169456758786
Auburn and ole miss are bad football teams period.
Yep. Very bad
Umm fake fg? Ok
Kiffin doesn’t want any stinkin’ field goals
didnt take the big 10 long to have the refs openly help ohio st. lol
Wouldn’t have mattered anyways. Ohio st is just better
https://twitter.com/cbssports/status/1320041891916820486?s=21
Sigh. Brock V better live up to the hype and take us to the promised land because this sort of thing is what we whiffed on.
Man…….to think of what we could’ve had. I truly hope we find a dynamic QB soon.
Yup. It’s a very Georgia thing to have to sit here and watch what could have been. That’s a 50 yard pass on a rope straight into the breadbasket. I will die on my hill that we waltz to a natty with that sort of talent running the show in Athens right now.
We definitely win a Natty with Fields.
Quick question here.
Is UGA Totally the reason Fields is at OSU Are is any of on him?
Was NOT pass interference.
https://twitter.com/FOXSportsSouth/status/1320035851376742402
If they uphold that targeting I quit watching this game
Exactly this is becoming ridiculous
The announcers and their expert sure seemed to want it to be to calm this violent sport down
Trey Sermon in for tOSU. Really nice Georgia kid – talked to him at the Rose Bowl.
https://twitter.com/BGilmer18/status/1320036317749706759
Tipped and batted are 2 different things. His tip was still completed.
Do they use these(####) on Twitter?
When he has 8 this game get back to me