Clemson QB Cade Klubnik's High School Teammate Helps Texas Clinch CFP Win
Story by Griffin ConantThe Texas Longhorns are one step closer to realizing their national championship dreams, once again proving why they boast one of the top defensive units in college football.
A big reason for Texas' monumental 38-24 first-round win over Clemson was a tenacious Longhorns defense that hounded their ACC opponent all evening. By the time the clock hit triple zeroes, Texas had picked off Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik in the second quarter and made a crucial goal-line stand on 4th-and-goal when Clemson was threatening to make it a one-possession game late in the contest.
To take things a step further, former walk-on defensive back Michael Taffee, an old friend of Klubnik, left his mark late in the fourth quarter with a HUGE hit on Clemson wide receiver T.J. Moore.
On 4th-and-6, with just under two minutes to play in regulation, Taffee drove his shoulder into Moore, separating him from the football. The bone-crushing hit sealed Clemson’s fate, as the Tigers turned the ball over on downs and never got it back.
Both Klubnik and Taffee became best friends during their time in high school where they were teammates on the football team. The pair even won back-to-back state championships together which each came at the expense of Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers who played for the runner-up Southlake Carroll Dragons.
Texas Longhorns defensive back Michael Taaffe (16). Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
When speaking to the media about his friendship with Klubnik earlier in the week, Taffee stated, "I know the tendencies that he has. He knows I like to take calculated risks. He knows that I'm a student of the game. And so he's gonna probably show me one thing that they've done on film 100 times, and it's gonna be the opposite. And so I'm ready for that. I know that, but he probably knows the same thing."
The former walk-on turned defensive standout clearly wears his heart on his sleeve, and that was on full display Saturday. Don’t be surprised if Taffee continues to make plays for the Texas defense in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl against the Arizona State Sun Devils on New Year’s Day.
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