Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers and Clemson signal-caller Cade Klubnik have faced off in gridiron battles before. The two led their respective teams to the Texas 6A State Championship Game in January of 2021.
Texas Prep Phenoms
Klubnik called signals for Austin Westlake, an NFL quarterback factory that produced Drew Brees, Nick Foles, and Sam Ehlinger. Klubnik stood toe to toe with Ewers, who quarterbacked the Dragons of Southlake Carroll. Both teams met at AT&T Stadium (affectionately known as Jerry’s World) for the right to raise the 6A state championship trophy.
Klubnik earned the victory that day, as he completed 18 of 20 passes for 220 yards and a touchdown. In addition, he rushed for 97 yards and 2 scores as Westlake finished the season undefeated at 14-0.
Ewers responded by throwing for 351 yards and 3 TDs. But he threw 2 INTs in a losing effort to drop Southlake Carroll to 12-2.
Klubnik later signed to play his college ball at Clemson. Ewers decommitted from Texas, skipped his senior season of high school football, reclassified as a 2021 recruit and signed with Ohio State to take advantage of the newly-instituted Name, Image, and Likeness policy.
After being stuck behind CJ Stroud and Kyle McCord in the quarterback room in Columbus, Ewers came home and committed to play for Steve Sarkisian and the Texas Longhorns.
Clemson Tigers (10-3)
Klubnik has passed for over 3,300 yards, 33 touchdowns and 5 INTs (in 443 pass attempts). Against SMU in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Championship Game, Klubnik passed for 262 yards and four touchdowns in a win for Clemson, their eighth conference title in the last ten years.
Texas Longhorns (11-2)
The Longhorns are coming off a 22-19 loss to Georgia in the SEC Championship Game. In that game, Ewers passed for 358 yards and a touchdown. But he also threw 2 critical INTs. For the season, Ewers passed for 2,665 yards, 25 touchdowns and 9 INTs. If Ewers has trouble protecting the football and completes passes to the other team (three picks in the last two games) will Sarkisian call Arch Manning’s number to have him move the Longhorns down the field? We shall see.
The eyes of Texas will be upon the warriors battling in very different shades of orange on Saturday.
As sure as Matthew McConaughey will be standing on the sideline in a leather jacket and cowboy hat, two native sons who played their high school ball not far down the road from Darryl K. Royal Stadium will give the fans what they want-an epic showdown with a quarterfinal matchup with Arizona State on the line.