Dabo Swinney evaluates progress of DJ Uiagalelei, makes historical Clemson comparison

Clemson quarterback DJ Uiagalelei put in one of his better performances since coming to Clemson, out-dueling Sam Hartman and Wake Forest in double overtime. The junior quarterback was 26-for-41 for 371 and five touchdowns through the air, plus another 52 yards on the ground as the Tigers won 51-45.

After the game, head coach Dabo Swinney was ready to stand on the table for his quarterback. Uiagalelei hadn’t lived up to the immense promise of his talent prior to this year, but after four games and his most recent performance, Swinney has seen enough.

“And he’s been that way, really, and that’s what I saw all summer, all camp. And as I said going in to the Georgia Tech game, I just need to see him do it under the lights. I needed to see him — how’s he going to be when he makes a terrible throw, or makes a bad decision, turns it over? You know, last year, it kind of led to more bad. And how is he going to handle that this year? And he had that little start in the first half there in the Georgia Tech game, and it was like, ‘Oh man.’ And then he just pushed through it. And he got better and got better in the Furman game, got better in the La. Tech game. So it’s just awesome. I mean he’s a big, strong dude. He’s so confident running the ball now,” Swinney said.

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He compared Uiagalelei to another Clemson quarterback, one who was integral in Swinney’s tenure as head coach: Tajh Boyd.

“He’s an incredible — he looks like Tajh out there, doesn’t here? He’s not Trevor [Lawrence] or DeShaun [Watson], running, but he looks a lot like Tajh. Just as far as that toughness, that willingness, that fight with the ball in his hands to go get the first down. To extend plays. I mean he threw a touchdown pass with a couple guys hanging on him. Keeping his eyes up. I thought our protection was outstanding outside of a couple spots. I think we ended up giving up one sack. But there were some plays out there where we had forever. And so, really pleased with that part of it,” Swinney said. 

A performance like this from Uiagalelei was inevitable, in Swinney’s eyes. The flashes were there, like when a true freshman Uiagalelei torched the Notre Dame defense in a spot start against Notre Dame in South Bend in 2020, almost besting the Irish.

But 2021 was a hard year, one where Uiagalelei didn’t have the necessary help around him, Swinney said. And the quarterback let bad play get him off-kilter between the ears. But Swinney knew it was just a matter of time for Uiagalelei to get right and put his array of talent and physical ability on display.

“I just know who he is. I know what I see. And I know how talented this kid is. This is not theory,” Swinney said, “it’s not some pie in the sky. I’ve watched him. Everybody in the country recruited this kid. He’s a great football player who had a bad year and nobody wants to hear all the reasons why, they just want to pile on DJ. And everybody wants a quarterback change and everybody wants this and that. And, you know, I just had belief in him. I know who he is. I know his heart.”

Swinney continued: “If he wasn’t doing everything, it would be different. If I didn’t see his heart, his character, his will, his toughness, his preparation, that’s different. But man, this kid, he deserves it.”