Dabo Swinney: DJ. Uiagalelei has 'turned the corner'

Clemson quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei has struggled through his sophomore year with the Tigers when many people expected him to be a Heisman Trophy candidate this season. His stats have regressed rather dramatically this season and it’s been baffling to many people as to why.

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said the explanation is rather simple, the Tigers just aren’t as good of a team around their quarterback this season.

“Well, do y’all think D.J. was pretty good last year? We were better around him. It’s that simple. When Deshaun [Watson] was here, when Trevor [Lawrence] came here, we were better around those guys,” Swinney said.

Swinney is right, Uiagalelei was really, really good last year. Which is why his performance this year thus far has been so baffling.

Tale of 2 seasons for D.J.Uiagalelei

2021 through 6 games

97 of 174 for 974 yards (55%) 4 TD – 3 INT

2020 vs ND & BC

59 of 85 for 781 yards (69%) 4 TD – 0 INT

— Todd Fuhrman (@ToddFuhrman) October 19, 2021

It’s pretty mind-blowing to see a quarterback play that well in one season and then his numbers drop so dramatically the next.

Then again, maybe people are forgetting just how good Cornell Powell and Amari Rodgers were as receivers last season for the Tigers. Powell might have been released by the Kansas City Chiefs, but he made a number of amazing plays the past few years for the Tigers.

The two were a dynamic receiver tandem for the Tigers. Of course, having a dynamic pass catching running back like Travis Etienne didn’t hurt, either.

Clemson offensive line has had a lot of turnover

Swinney discussed how the high amount of turnover on the offensive line has been a big problem for his offense.

“Just like we’re in transition at quarterback, we’re in transition everywhere else,” he said. “I mean, like I’ve said, we’ve had three different centers, eight different starters on the OL. We’ve never had that in six games. So we don’t have the continuity and we haven’t had the consistency and performance around him.”

Continuity along the offensive line is absolutely essential for any great offensive line on any level of football. The lineman all have to play together in a game setting on the same unit.

Dabo Swinney seems to think his sophomore signal-caller has turned the corner the past few games. Swinney still admitted that his quarterback needs to step it up.

“Not that he’s played perfect. He’s played two pretty dang good games. He’s getting better,” the Clemson head coach said. “He’s kind of fought his way through the fog. I really think he’s turned the corner. But we just haven’t been as good around him. It’s just that simple. We’re gonna be. It’s been a lot of different things, but I think that’s the biggest difference.”

He’s definitely played far from perfect and the film shows it.

PFF grades of the top 3 QBs in the 2020 recruiting class (per 247) thru W7

QB1 Bryce Young, Alabama – 91.4
QB2 DJ Uiagalelei, Clemson – 62.4
QB3 CJ Stroud, OSU – 90.8

Follows the trend that I wrote about before the start of the season: https://t.co/tzqihYTXzl

— Anthony Treash (@PFF_Anthony) October 21, 2021

Many people in the media have struggled to figure out why Uiagalelei has been so bad this year. ESPN’s David Hale even went to say that the star quarterback might have the “yips.”

Former Georgia head coach Mark Richt said the same thing.

No matter what it is, Uiagalelei and the Clemson coaching staff better get it fixed and in a hurry because highly touted quarterback Cade Klubnik is incredibly accurate with the football. He’s the crown jewel of Clemson’s 2022 recruiting class and will be at Clemson for the 2022-2023 college football season.

Clemson has a tough matchup Saturday against Kenny Pickett and the Pitt Panthers.