According to Chris Hummer of 247Sports, Clemson quarterback DJ Uiagalelei is expected to enter the transfer portal after two years as the Tigers’ starter. The junior signal caller will have up to three years of eligibility at his next stop. It is unclear when Uiagalelei plans to enter the portal.
No. Uiagalelei, a pro-style QB recruit in the Class of 2022 and a proven 5-star prospect, could be the next great Clemson QB, continuing the legacy of Trevor Lawrence, Deshaun Watson and Tajh Boyd. The latest in a string of good QB recruits from St. Louis. After Lawrence fell ill with COVID-19, California’s John Bosco flashed some edge when he jumped into action as a true freshman in 2020, throwing for 439 yards and two TDs against the No. 1 player at the time. array. 4 Notre Dame Cathedral.
However, Uiagalelei has struggled as a starter over the past two seasons, culminating in an early start on the bench in the ACC championship game against North Carolina State. True freshman Cade Klubnik came on, completing 20 of 24 passes for 279 yards and a touchdown in a 39-10 win over the Tar Heels. The win marked Clemson’s return to the top of the ACC hills after a year-long absence.
“Moving forward, Cade will be the starter and DJ will be the backup,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said after the game. “We’ll move on and I’m sure there will be a lot of conversations – he’s graduating in a week or so, so he’s got a bright future. He’s got a bright future. Obviously, tonight didn’t end up the way he wanted to, but He has a bright, bright future as a footballer.”
Uiagalelei, who was named the lowest-rated passer in the ACC in his first season as a full-time starter for Clemson, lost three straight for the first time since 2014 and finished outside the AP top five. After the season, offensive coordinator Tony Elliott left the Virginia job to be replaced by quarterbacks coach Brandon Streeter.
DJU’s numbers improved as a sophomore, including an impressive 580 passing yards, six touchdowns and zero interceptions, with wins over Wake Forest and NC State in back-to-back weeks. However, in the loss to Syracuse, when Klubnik led his team to the winning goal, he was replaced after being intercepted twice.
Uiagalalei completed 59.8 percent of his passes in 35 games with Clemson for 5,681 yards, 36 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. The Tigers failed to make the College Football Playoff in any of his years as a starter, making six straight appearances.