Make no mistake: D.J. Uiagalelei is going to get his reps over the next four weeks.
That will be the utmost priority for Clemson quarterbacks coach Brandon Streeter during fall camp as he helps Uiagalelei get prepared for his first season as the Tigers’ full-time starter. But with the depth at the most important position on the field having already taken a hit, getting the rest of Clemson’s largely inexperienced signal callers ready for game action will also be vital just in case.
“D.J. needs to get his reps, but, at the same time, we need to monitor and make sure that he’s not overthrowing,” Streeter said. “We also need to get some other guys ready to go obviously.”
Clemson will open camp Friday with five quarterbacks on the roster, a number Streeter said he feels good about when all of them are available. But that’s not currently the case.
Uiagalelei’s primary backup, sophomore Taisun Phommachanh, tore his Achilles during Clemson’s spring game and has been working to get back to full strength ever since. Both Streeter and Clemson coach Dabo Swinney lauded the work Phommachanh has put in during his recovery, which has him on track to return at some point this season, both coaches said.
Neither offered a specific timeframe on when that might happen, so for the time being, walk-on Hunter Helms will serve as the Tigers’ backup. The redshirt freshman got his feet wet in three games last season and threw two touchdown passes against Georgia Tech, becoming just the second original walk-on in school history to throw multiple touchdown passes in a game.
To hear Streeter tell it, Helms has both the physical and mental capabilities to effectively operate the Tigers’ offense in more than just mop-up duty if needed.
“I’m telling you, this kid, he’s been here for a year now. He’s really done a good job of really understanding this offense,” Streeter said. “He’s as smart as any of the guys in the room right now in terms of just knowing it, and that’s the biggest thing as a young guy. That’s the first step is just really understanding and knowing this offense inside and out, and that allows you to play faster. That allows you to perform at a higher rate.”
Still, Helms’ playing time consists of just 22 career snaps so far, and the Tigers’ other two quarterbacks, true freshmen Billy Wiles and Will Taylor, have never played in a college game. So the significance of getting the group as comfortable as possible ahead of Clemson’s opener against Georgia isn’t lost on the man who’s responsible for coaching them up.
“It’s going to be really important that I do a good job of making sure the right guys are in there,” Streeter said. “And making sure that they’re getting enough reps because we all know it’s developing by getting reps. The more experience you get, the more examples you can teach off of and the more they can learn from.”
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