CLEMSON – Despite last season not being a success for Clemson football, quarterback Cade Klubnik is optimistic about the Tigers in 2024.

The Tigers return a more experienced group with playmakers at skill positions and another year in offensive coordinator Garrett Riley's system.

"Our goal is to go undefeated, and I fully believe that this is the team that can do it," Klubnik said. "I think we've got every single piece that we need to be able to do that."

Here are three things Klubnik said Monday that stood out during his media availability.

Health, playmakers will help Clemson regain explosiveness

The Tigers lacked big plays last year, averaging 4.9 yards per play. That was tied for 97th in FBS.

Clemson battled injuries at wide receiver last year with Troy Stellato, Beaux Collins and Antonio Williams going down. Entering spring practice, Tyler Brown is recovering from off-season foot surgery, and Noble Johnson is out due to an injury suffered in a car accident.

"It's nobody's fault. It's just kind of the way the cards are dealt sometimes," Klubnik said. "Just having everybody is going to be really good for us."

A quarterback needs a rapport with his players, and Klubnik has been building it with the available wideouts. Stellato and Williams are practicing, and freshman wideout Bryant Wesco Jr. has received high praise from teammates. T.J. Moore will enroll in the summer, and both freshmen can provide a boost for Clemson.

Add in tight end Jake Briningstool and running back Phil Mafah, Klubnik is relishing the connections he is establishing with the talented group.

"It's really, really fun," he said. "You step up there, and you got some dudes – some freaking dudes – and that's exciting. It's exciting for me, obviously, just because I got matchups everywhere."

His maturation at QB will help limit sacks

Coach Dabo Swinney wasn't hesitant to say what Klubnik needed to improve on the first day of spring practice, pointing out the need to cut down the turnovers and negative plays. The Tigers have given up 28 sacks in back-to-back seasons. Of those 28 sacks last season, Swinney said Klubnik was responsible for eight of them.

Klubnik believes improving his post-snap recognition will be a solution. This is the first time that he has worked in the same offense for consecutive seasons in college, which has brought familiarity and comfort to Klubnik.

"My post-snap recognition is going to get better with decision-making, when to come off of stuff and when I can truly attack things a little bit stronger," he said. "Being a little bit more aggressive in my decisions because I've just been in the system now for a little bit."

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Clemson is using new coach-to-player communications

The NCAA will allow each school the option to use coach-to-player communications through a helmet to one player on the field, depending on approval by the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel on April 18. This would allow a coach to relay plays to a player, usually a quarterback and linebacker, and it would be turned off with 15 seconds remaining on the play clock or when the ball is snapped, similar to the NFL.

Klubnik revealed he and Riley have never used the system before but have been using it during the spring.

"We started doing that the first practice," Klubnik said. "It can be really good for tempo in our offense, especially. It's kind of perfect for our offense."

Klubnik has enjoyed using it but doesn't think it will be used every play. Hand signals are still efficient for audibles, and he expects them to explore it further during scrimmages.

Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at dcarter@gannett.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Clemson football: How QB Cade Klubnik says offense can improve in 2024