Anthony Hill -- When the All-American LB stands out in a QB film study

Clemson QB Cade Klubnik is drawing a good amount of preseason hype as he leads the Tigers’ attempt to re-establish their place among college football’s elite. Texas fans should know well how skilled Klubnik is. Not only is he a two-time UIL 6A state champion as the starting quarterback at Westlake, but he also threw for 336 yards and three touchdowns against the Longhorns in the first round of the 2024 College Football Playoff. No other Longhorn opponent eclipsed 300 yards passing last season.

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As a result, members of the football film community on X and YouTube are starting to look into Klubnik to see where he might be able to take another step in Garrett Riley‘s offense. In the course of one of those studies focused on the Clemson quarterback, Brooks Austin of The Film Guy Network started to sing the praises of a player in burnt orange charged with defending Klubnik in 2024: Anthony Hill.

The Cade Klubnik Study turned into an Anthony Hill study real quick.

Texas has a special one in No. 0 pic.twitter.com/j9B1DrMpCH

— Brooks Austin (@BrooksAustinBA) July 10, 2025

As the video shows, Austin’s praise for Hill is effusive. In the clip above, Hill makes the most of what Austin credits to film study. Riley runs an Air Raid style offense, and passing to Clemson’s talented receivers with Klubnik at the helm was generally the preferred method of moving the ball down the field for this game especially with how stout Texas’ defensive front was in 2024. Plus, Texas is up 21-7 in the second quarter of a College Football Playoff game with 3:40 left until halftime. The Longhorns are set to get the ball in the second half. Clemson needs to move the football and fast.

But Hill also knows that if the Tigers were to hand it off to Phil Mafah, he’s got some time to get to where he needs to be because of how the Longhorn defense is aligned.

Texas has its typical four-man front with, from the bottom of the screen to the top, Barryn Sorrell, Alfred Collins, Vernon Broughton, and Trey Moore on the field.

Liona Lefau is in his Will position, ready to see what Clemson does with the football. It almost looks as if he’s a spy.

But to Lefau’s right is Jelani McDonald, who drops down essentially as an extra linebacker from his boundary safety position. Malik Muhammad has the deep third at the top of the screen and is all by himself. Michael Taaffe has the middle of the field. Jahdae Barron has his own deep third. Jaylon Guilbeau is in zone coverage.

So Hill’s prep was properly placed. It’s a pass. And he does something that, as the video mentions, not every college linebacker is adept at. He identifies a pattern and makes it a no-go for Klubnik.

“This primary read, No. 6, he’s cooked,” Austin says. “Guess who’s trying to throw the football right now? No. 2 is. The quarterback. Cade’s trying to get this ball out. But we don’t like it, do we? I wouldn’t like it either. That’s 6-3.5, 245 pounds a yard away from my slot receiver. I wouldn’t like it either.”

Since the study is about Klubnik, Austin highlights a valiant attempt to find Antonio Williams on the sideline, but it’s ruled incomplete and the call is confirmed via replay.

Hill logged nine tackles against the Tigers. It was not his best game according to Pro Football Focus, which issued Hill a defensive grade of 51.8, worst on the Longhorns from that contest. That goes to show that while Hill is an elite player, there is room for his game to grow in pass defense. Of course, this was game 14 for the Longhorns and just after the SEC Championship. Texas was beat up, and Hill as the leading tackler took on a lot of hits. And on top of all that, Clemson’s offense is one that likes to attack players that play Hill’s position.

That said, Hill is considered one of the best defensive players in college football entering the 2025 season. Without him, Texas doesn’t beat Clemson or Arizona State or contend for a spot in the national championship game in 2024. The same will hold true in 2025.

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If there’s more like 2024 in store for Hill, plus with some improvements in key areas, he could end up considered one of the best players in college football after the 2025 season.