D.J. Uiagalelei’s first start this season didn’t go nearly as well as his two previous ones.
After throwing for more than 700 yards and five scores in helping lead Clemson to wins in spot starts against Boston College and Notre Dame a season ago, Uiagelelei found the going much tougher Saturday taking his first snaps as Trevor Lawrence’s successor. Uiagalelei posted career-lows in passing yards (178) and completion percentage (51.3) and tossed the only touchdown of the game, though it counted as points for the other team.
Chris Smith’s 74-yard pick-six late in the second quarter proved to be the difference in the Tigers’ 10-3 loss to Georgia over the weekend, though Clemson coach Dabo Swinney and offensive coordinator Tony Elliott put that miscue on receiver Justyn Ross more than their sophomore signal caller. Regardless, it’s the first real bout of adversity Uiagalelei has faced early in his career as Clemson’s quarterback.
How has he responded?
“He’s had a great week of practice just like any great competitor does,” Swinney said Wednesday. “You pick yourself up and go back to work.”
Swinney said Uiagalelei was one of the first players back at the team’s facilities Sunday to watch the film of a performance Uiagalelei personally shouldered the blame for afterward.
“There’s a lot of things when you watch the film and look at it and think, ‘Wow, I could’ve done this different, I could’ve done that different and it would’ve changed the outcome of the game,’” Uiagalelei said. “But I think the most overall thing is I’ve just got to play better.’
Uiagalelei said there were misreads on his part on some of his throws as well as miscommunication with his receivers at times. He also critiqued his pocket awareness, saying there were a couple of times he should’ve bolted to escape the constant pressure created by Georgia’s defense up front.
But Uiagalelei didn’t get much help on a night when the Tigers tallied 180 yards of offense and averaged just 3 yards per play. Clemson’s running backs combined for just 24 yards on nine carries. And with Georgia getting to Uiagalelei for seven sacks, the Tigers finished with just 2 net rushing yards, the fourth-lowest rushing total in program history.
Uiagalelei completed just 10 of 21 passes in the first half for 75 yards, but he picked it up down the stretch. He went 4 of 7 on Clemson’s opening possession of the fourth quarter, one that reached Georgia’s 5-yard line and produced the Tigers’ only points of the night.
Uiagalelei covered 56 of Clemson’s 82 yards on the drive through the air and had 67 of his passing yards in the final quarter. The Tigers would love nothing more than to see Uiagaleleli’s finish carry over to this week’s game against South Carolina State on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
“He’s a special player. He’s a special person, and nobody cares more,” Swinney said. “For two and a half quarters there, he didn’t play very well. But, man, he responded in a tough environment and finished really well. Once he got going, we didn’t play well around him. But he showed back up.”
Football season has finally arrived. Time to represent your Tigers and show your stripes!
