The spotlight has found D.J. Uiagalelei and it’s certainly here to stay.
But that doesn’t seem to bother him and that’s coming straight from his head coach.
“You don’t just luck up and do what this kid did as a true freshman with bright lights,” Dabo Swinney said on the Gramlich & Mac Lain Talk ACC Sports podcast. “He’s just so well-prepared. He’s built for this…He’s numb to the noise, if you will because he’s so busy being great.”
Clemson’s has constantly sung the praises of its starting quarterback prior to the start of the 2021 season. In fact, Tigers’ quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator Brandon Streeter said that Uiagalelei has the strongest arm that he’s ever coached.
At Clemson, Best is the Standard and that’s been the case under center throughout the entirety of the Swinney era. From Tajh Boyd upping the standard under center to Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence reaching new heights that the Tigers think Uiagalelei is capable of reaching.
There’s something about him that’s just different.
“But what makes him unique is just his arm talent,” Swinney said. “I mean, he’s the only guy I’ve been around that makes Trevor look normal throwing the ball. This is elite.”
Swinney joked that he thought Uiagalelei was going to “kill someone” when he first got to Clemson because of his elite arm strength.
He further lauded Uiagalelei’s arm talent, saying that opposing defensive backs can’t make any false steps and expect to recover against Clemson’s starting quarterback. His ability is just that good.
“What makes him unique is just his arm talent. He’s the only guy I’ve been around that makes Trevor look normal throwing the ball.” — Dabo Swinney on @DJUiagalelei 👀
Full episode w/ Dabo: https://t.co/WaSllsEOVk pic.twitter.com/X7pOXQXirL
— Kelly Gramlich (@kellygramlich) July 31, 2021
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