Tag: D.J. Uiagalelei

Ross, Uiagalelei boast that ‘wide receiver U’ is back

The injury bug hit Clemson hard last season particularly at wide receiver. Justyn Ross missed all of last season due to a congenital spine issue, Joseph Ngata had surgery on abdomen, Frank Ladson was nagged with a reoccurring foot issue and Brannon …

The injury bug hit Clemson hard last season particularly at wide receiver.

Justyn Ross missed all of last season due to a congenital spine issue, Joseph Ngata had surgery on abdomen, Frank Ladson was nagged with a reoccurring foot issue and Brannon Spector also missed time due to injury.

Ahead of the 2021 season Clemson looks poised to return its wide receiver core to full strength even with Amari Rodgers transitioning to the NFL.

Ross told The Clemson Insider that the group will be the best in the country this season.

“I feel the receiver unit can show we are the best in the country for real,” Ross said. “Just from what I see and what I know players can do, the country has seen it they just haven’t seen the whole thing. So I feel like we can be the best receiver group in the whole country for sure.”

Ross is still waiting on the official word on whether he is cleared for full contact this season. But he has been able to participate fully in individual drills and workouts since last October.

First year starting quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei also has high expectations for his receiver room looking ahead to this season.

He went as far to claim the Tigers boast the deepest and best group of wide receivers in college football.

“I feel like we have eight legitimate guys who can start at any spot on our offense,” Uiagalelei said. “I think we definitely have the deepest receiver room in the country, we have the best receiving corps in the country by far in my opinion.”

For Uiagalelei it the depth all starts with Ross.

“I love Justyn Ross and feel like he is the best receiver in the country just having him out there is amazing and I’m glad he’s going to get a chance to come out there and play,” Uiagalelei said at ACC Kickoff last week. “We’ve definitely had a great relationship and I’m ready to throw him the ball.”

As for the rest of the room Uiagalelei feels the comradery is there for the Tigers to make a splash at receiver this year after getting a full summer of skills and drills work in.

And the sophomore signal caller is eager for the rest of the country to see what guys like Ngata and Ladson can show at full strength.

“We have some receivers that haven’t played a lot like Joe Ngata and Frank Ladson played a little bit but due to injuries weren’t able to get on the field much, but they are definitely going to show that to a lot of people,” Uiagalelei said.

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Southern football is king for Uiagalelei

D.J. Uiagalelei experienced a huge culture shock when he first stepped onto Clemson’s campus as a high school athlete. The first thing he noticed was a plethora of trees and greenery that ran contrary to the skyscrapers and concrete one grows …

D.J. Uiagalelei experienced a huge culture shock when he first stepped onto Clemson’s campus as a high school athlete. The first thing he noticed was a plethora of trees and greenery that ran contrary to the skyscrapers and concrete one grows accustomed to in Southern California.

But it was his first experience of a Clemson game and witnessing a Saturday in the south that lured the highly touted prospect out of the grasp of USC and other schools on the west coast.

The passion and enthusiasm he witnessed at his first game ultimately led Uiagalelei to pack up his life in Southern California and move across the country to play college football on the biggest stage.

“I remember when I came to my first Clemson game, I saw people tailgating from 20 minutes away on the road until I got to Clemson, and it was all shut down,” Uiagalelei said at the ACC Kickoff on Thursday. “We have 85,000 in the stadium and I think there’s like 50,000 people outside just tailgating and there’s only like 10,000 people in the city. I’ve never seen nothing like that in my life and it just opened my eyes like wow this is amazing.”

Several big-time quarterbacks ventured cross country from California in the last couple of years to some for a shot at playing on a bigger stage. Alabama starter Bryce Young, Georgia starter J.T. Daniels and Ohio State starter C.J. Stroud all left the west coast to play for teams that have a better shot at reaching the College Football Playoff. In fact those three quarterbacks grew up in about a 60-mile radius from Uiagalelei.

Uiagalelei did not try and speak for those other players but know the reason he came to Clemson. The sophomore wanted to win a national championship.

“I’m not really sure, I know why I came out here was to be able to compete for a national championship every single year,” Uiagalelei said. “I feel like Clemson was the best opportunity for me.”

The sophomore quarterback feels that football on the east coast and in the south is completely different than in the west coast where there are millions of people and millions of opportunities to find other activities on Saturdays in the fall.

“It’s such a different dynamic here in the south I think it’s because in southern California it’s huge in LA there are millions of people and millions of other things to do in California,” Uiagalelei said.

Last season Uiagalelei started a pair of games at Notre Dame and at Memorial Stadium against Boston College. He showed out while Trevor Lawrence missed time due to virus protocols, but it happened in front of restricted crowds and a limited gameday experience.

Now the California kid gets a chance to play in front of packed crowds and is excited to participate in the pageantry and tradition typically associated with a game day in Clemson.

“I think it’s definitely cool we didn’t get to have a full stadium at full capacity coming into. This year will be different,” Uiagalelei said. “I’m really excited to do my first Tiger Walk and run down the hill with all the fans in the stadium. This is what I came to Clemson for so I’m super excited to be able to do this.”

Time to get the latest Clemson apparel to show your Tiger pride. Order your officially licensed Clemson gear right here!

Southern football is king for Uiagalelei

D.J. Uiagalelei experienced a huge culture shock when he first stepped onto Clemson’s campus as a high school athlete. The first thing he noticed was a plethora of trees and greenery that ran contrary to the skyscrapers and concrete one grows …

D.J. Uiagalelei experienced a huge culture shock when he first stepped onto Clemson’s campus as a high school athlete. The first thing he noticed was a plethora of trees and greenery that ran contrary to the skyscrapers and concrete one grows accustomed to in Southern California.

But it was his first experience of a Clemson game and witnessing a Saturday in the south that lured the highly touted prospect out of the grasp of USC and other schools on the west coast.

The passion and enthusiasm he witnessed at his first game ultimately led Uiagalelei to pack up his life in Southern California and move across the country to play college football on the biggest stage.

“I remember when I came to my first Clemson game, I saw people tailgating from 20 minutes away on the road until I got to Clemson, and it was all shut down,” Uiagalelei said at the ACC Kickoff on Thursday. “We have 85,000 in the stadium and I think there’s like 50,000 people outside just tailgating and there’s only like 10,000 people in the city. I’ve never seen nothing like that in my life and it just opened my eyes like wow this is amazing.”

Several big-time quarterbacks ventured cross country from California in the last couple of years to some for a shot at playing on a bigger stage. Alabama starter Bryce Young, Georgia starter J.T. Daniels and Ohio State starter C.J. Stroud all left the west coast to play for teams that have a better shot at reaching the College Football Playoff. In fact those three quarterbacks grew up in about a 60-mile radius from Uiagalelei.

Uiagalelei did not try and speak for those other players but know the reason he came to Clemson. The sophomore wanted to win a national championship.

“I’m not really sure, I know why I came out here was to be able to compete for a national championship every single year,” Uiagalelei said. “I feel like Clemson was the best opportunity for me.”

The sophomore quarterback feels that football on the east coast and in the south is completely different than in the west coast where there are millions of people and millions of opportunities to find other activities on Saturdays in the fall.

“It’s such a different dynamic here in the south I think it’s because in southern California it’s huge in LA there are millions of people and millions of other things to do in California,” Uiagalelei said.

Last season Uiagalelei started a pair of games at Notre Dame and at Memorial Stadium against Boston College. He showed out while Trevor Lawrence missed time due to virus protocols, but it happened in front of restricted crowds and a limited gameday experience.

Now the California kid gets a chance to play in front of packed crowds and is excited to participate in the pageantry and tradition typically associated with a game day in Clemson.

“I think it’s definitely cool we didn’t get to have a full stadium at full capacity coming into. This year will be different,” Uiagalelei said. “I’m really excited to do my first Tiger Walk and run down the hill with all the fans in the stadium. This is what I came to Clemson for so I’m super excited to be able to do this.”

Time to get the latest Clemson apparel to show your Tiger pride. Order your officially licensed Clemson gear right here!

Uiagalelei has one goal. . . perfection

For the better part of the last decade Clemson produced some of the best quarterbacks in the nation. Under head coach Dabo Swinney, Tajh Boyd upped the standard of quarterback play for the Tigers and Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence again took …

For the better part of the last decade Clemson produced some of the best quarterbacks in the nation.

Under head coach Dabo Swinney, Tajh Boyd upped the standard of quarterback play for the Tigers and Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence again took that to new heights as they each won a national championship game. All three earned First Team All-America honors for the way they led the offense in orange and white.

This year the Tigers change signal callers again after the Jaguars selected Trevor Lawrence with the top pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

But for D.J. Uiagalelei the standard at Clemson remains the same, to be the best in the sport.

“Shoot. My goal is to go 15-0 and win a national championship so that’s my goal to be able to do that,” Uiagalelei said at the ACC Kickoff on Thursday. “I want to hit the ground running, start off fast and stay fast.”

Uiagalelei certainly hit the ground running in his freshman campaign with a pair of critical starts for the Tigers when Lawrence missed time due to virus protocols. The California-native looked exceptional as he brought Clemson back from behind in starts at No. 4 Notre Dame and at home against Boston College.

He completed 29-of-44 passes for 439 and two touchdowns in his first start in South Bend, Ind. as Clemson fell 47-40 to the Irish in double overtime. The next week Uiagalelei brought the Tigers back from a 28-10 deficit against Boston College completing 30-of-41 passes for 342 yards and to earn his first win 34-28.

“It’s a true honor there have been great quarterbacks here since Tajh Boyd and even before him. Just the line of quarterback we have had the past couple of years is amazing,” Uiagalelei said. “So being able to come in this quarterback legacy at Clemson University is a true honor and a blessing. I want to uphold that standard, best is the standard here at Clemson and I want to do that.”

Uiagalelei dreamed of playing under center for the Tigers for a while and finally holding the position is a dream come true. But he made it clear that playing quarterback for Swinney is earned not given.

“This is kind of surreal it’s definitely something that I’ve always wanted and dreamed of being a starting quarterback and the starter at Clemson,” Uiagalelei said. “It’s definitely been a long time coming and I feel like I put enough work in to be here.”

Time to get the latest Clemson apparel to show your Tiger pride. Order your officially licensed Clemson gear right here!

Check out D.J.’s Bojangles commercial

It’s “Bo Time” for Clemson’s starting quarterback. D.J. Uiagalelei has officially partnered with Bojangles for the use of his name, image and likeness. He released an official announcement in the style of a commercial ad via his Instagram account. …

It’s “Bo Time” for Clemson’s starting quarterback.

D.J. Uiagalelei has officially partnered with Bojangles for the use of his name, image and likeness. 

He released an official announcement in the style of a commercial ad via his Instagram account.

You can watch Uiagalelei enjoy some food from his new marketing partner with two fellow Clemson offensive linemen, Ryan Linthicum and Walker Parks, right here:

Time to get the latest Clemson apparel to show your Tiger pride. Order your officially licensed Clemson gear right here!

Quarterback depth ‘not a concern’ for Streeter

Following the conclusion of the MLB draft last weekend, all eyes were on Clemson’s quarterback room and the looming decisions of incoming freshmen Will Taylor and Bubba Chandler. While Clemson will continue on with Will Taylor aboard and without …

Following the conclusion of the MLB draft last weekend, all eyes were on Clemson’s quarterback room and the looming decisions of incoming freshmen Will Taylor and Bubba Chandler.

While Clemson will continue on with Will Taylor aboard and without Bubba Chandler, who decided to pursue professional baseball, quarterbacks coach Brandon Streeter isn’t worried. In fact, Streeter is more excited than anything to see what his five guys can do once fall camp rolls around.

“I think we’re gonna have five guys that I feel really good about,” Streeter said. “Obviously, there’s a lot to do and it is a little more thin than most years, but as you all recall, the year that we won the national championship in 2018, after that fourth game losing Kelly [Bryant], it was Trevor [Lawrence], Chase [Brice], Ben Batson, and then Hunter Renfrow. It was two guys that you felt good about, but we’re gonna be deeper this year and now it’s a matter of getting them ready to play.”

Despite what some would consider a lack of depth, starter D.J. Uiagalelei has more experience coming into his second season than Lawrence did in his national championship campaign, something Streeter thinks could be a real difference maker come kickoff this fall.

“Obviously, losing Bubba, we lost that number and a little bit more depth,” Streeter said. “Coming in in June is very very hard to learn offense and be very comfortable with it, but I’ve been very impressed with Will Taylor and also with Billy Wiles. I think both those kids are gonna be capable and are going to be able to help us. Obviously, you got D.J. who has more experience than Trevor did going into Trevor’s freshman year when we won the whole thing, so I’m really not concerned.”

With guys like Hunter Helms, Taisun Phommachanh, and the freshmen Taylor and Wiles sitting behind Uiagalelei, Streeter is confident in his quarterback room, despite some of their lack of experience, seeing a parallel between the way Brice became “that guy” in 2018 against Syracuse and the potential he sees within this year’s group.

“I think there’s a couple guys that don’t have much experience, but neither did Chase have much experience until that Syracuse game,” the quarterbacks coach said. “Chase did something special in that game and the team rallied around him and that sort of thing. We have guys on this team that are capable of doing something like that for sure.”

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Clemson’s goal is to keep Uiagalelei healthy

With Taisun Phommachanh still recovering from a torn Achilles, and 4-star prospect Bubba Chandler giving up football to pursue a professional career in baseball, Clemson’s quarterback situation is a little dicey heading into fall camp this year. The …

With Taisun Phommachanh still recovering from a torn Achilles, and 4-star prospect Bubba Chandler giving up football to pursue a professional career in baseball, Clemson’s quarterback situation is a little dicey heading into fall camp this year.

The good news is Clemson still has one of the top quarterbacks in the country in D.J. Uiagalelei, who many believe will be a Heisman Trophy candidate in his first season as a starting quarterback. However, with Phommachanh out, the Tigers do not have a ready-to-play backup quarterback.

Heading into camp, Uiagalelei will be backed up by a quarterback who was recruited to eventually be a wide receiver and two walk-ons. In other words, the Clemson coaches will have to do everything they can to keep Uiagalelei healthy until Phommachanh is ready to play.

D.J. Uiagalelei, So., 6-4, 250: As a true freshman, Uiagalelei played very well in the two games Trevor Lawrence missed due to COVID-19, leading the Tigers to the greatest come-from-behind victory at Death Valley in school history, as he rallied Clemson from an 18-point deficit to beat Boston College, 34-28 on Oct. 31. A week later, even in a loss to Notre Dame in South Bend, he played great, throwing for 439 yards, the most ever against an Irish defense. He nearly willed an outmanned Clemson team to victory in a double-overtime defeat. In his two starts, Uiagalelei played nearly flawless, completing 59-of-85 passes (69.4 percent) for 781 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions. He also ran for two scores, including a 30-yard touchdown run against Boston College. In the Spring Game, he completed 20-of-28 passes for 174 yards and one touchdown.

Hunter Helms, *Fr., 6-1, 210: A walk-on, Helms impressed with a two-touchdown performance at Georgia Tech as a true freshman. He enters 2021 having completed 9-of-12 passes for 77 yards and two scores after playing in three games last year.  

Will Taylor, Fr., 5-10, 175: Though he was picked in the 19th round of the MLB Draft by the Texas Rangers (554 overall) earlier this week, Taylor is locked in with Tigers and will likely enter fall camp as the third string quarterback, though Clemson eventually wants to transition him to wide receiver during his career. Taylor has the credentials as a quarterback, but he is not built to be a college quarterback, especially right now as a true freshman. However, he did lead Dutch Fork (Irmo, S.C.) to the Class 5A State Championship last year, while putting up good numbers. With Bubba Chandler leaving Clemson for professional baseball and Taisun Phommachanh still rehabbing from a torn Achilles in the Spring Game, the Tigers have no choice but to get Taylor ready for the start of the season.

Billy Wiles, Fr., 6-3, 215: Wiles is a preferred walk-on from Stone Bridge High School in Ashburn, Virginia. He turned down offers from Maryland and Tulane to walk-on at Clemson. He was a 3-star prospect and had a rating of .814 according to the 247Sports Composite. He is a pro-style quarterback. The 2020 high school football season in the state of Virginia was postponed until the spring, but Wiles threw for 2,481 yards and 22 touchdowns as a junior in 2019, while leading his Stone Bridge team to a 12-2 record and appearance in the Class 5 state title game.

**Taisun Phommachanh, *So., 6-3, 220: Phommachanh is sill recovering from his torn Achilles from the Spring Game. The hope is he will be able to be back at some point this season, but there is currently no official timetable for his return. Clemson offensive coordinator Tony Elliott did report earlier this summer that Phommachanh’s recovery is going better than expected. Before getting hurt, he completed 14-of-25 passes for 163 yards and a touchdown in the Spring Game, including 9-of-11 for 123 yards in the fourth quarter. He enters 2021 having completed 11-of-29 career passes for 73 yards and having rushed for 81 yards on 19 carries in seven career games. Last year, he completed 5-of-17 passes for 17 yards and rushed seven times for 25 yards in 43 snaps over four games. In 2019, he played in three games while redshirting, completing 6-of-12 passes for 56 yards and rushing for 56 yards on 12 carries.

Note: **indicates injured; *indicates redshirt

––Clemson Athletic Communications contributed to this story

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Five-star QB ‘likes Clemson a lot’

FORT MILL, S.C. – The Clemson Insider went down to a South Carolina high school to see one of the best quarterback prospects in the Class of 2024. TCI caught up with Catawba Ridge’s Jadyn Davis before he headed off to Nicholls State University …

FORT MILL, S.C. — The Clemson Insider went down to a South Carolina high school to see one of the best quarterback prospects in the Class of 2024.

TCI caught up with Catawba Ridge’s Jadyn Davis before he headed off to Nicholls State University (Thibodaux, La.) to camp at this year’s Manning Passing Academy. Davis recounted his summer, the visits he’s been able to take, his time at Clemson and what he’s been hearing on the recruitment front lately.

Davis was able to make his way back to Clemson this summer for Dabo Swinney Camp and got to see some familiar faces in the process.

“It was great,” he told TCI. “I have a close relationship with D.J Uiagalelei and Will Shipley, so it was great seeing my boys back again and meeting with Coach (Brandon) Streeter again.”

The last time Davis went to Swinney Camp was during his eighth grade year. Obviously, the pandemic prevented the in-state quarterback from making it down to Clemson last year, but he was happy to be back on the recruiting trail this summer.

“It was a great experience,” he said. “I loved seeing the campus, loved seeing the facilities and stuff like that. I like Clemson a lot.”

Where does his relationship with Uiagalelei stem from?

Davis actually met Clemson’s starting quarterback the last time he was on campus and the two gunslingers immediately hit it off. He then went out to the Steve Clarkson QB Retreat in California, where he even went out to eat with the Uiagalelei family, including Big Dave. 

Davis considers Uiagalelei as a “big brother.” 

Ironically enough, Clemson sees a lot of Uiagalelei in Davis.

“They say I compare a lot to how D.J. was coming in, our throwing motions, I guess, we are similar like that,” Davis said. 

As for Shipley, Davis knows Clemson’s freshman running back as the two train in the same spot. Davis’ high school recently just scrimmaged against Shipley’s alma mater back on Tuesday night.

So, what has Davis heard from each of Uiagalelei and Shipley about Clemson?

“They love it up there,” Davis said. “They tell me they love Coach Swinney. Everybody keeps it real up there. It’s real family camaraderie. And obviously throwing to guys like Justyn Ross, that helps too. It’s a good time.”

Davis is aware of how Clemson goes about its business when it comes to recruiting. They’ve consistently reminded him how they are with the process. The Tigers take it a bit slower, which Davis said he’s totally fine with.

He likes how Clemson is upfront and honest, while also not promising him anything.

“That shows that they care more about you as a person than they do about football at the end of the day,” Davis said. “They’re building that relationship. Going to college is a 40-year decision, not a four-year decision. It shows me that they care about me as a person, not just what I can do for them on the field.”

Davis’ main point of contact at Clemson has obviously been Streeter.

Clemson’s quarterbacks coach has kept it real with Davis. He’s also given him some insight into what he saw Trevor Lawrence go through between his recruitment process and his time at Clemson.

“It’s great,” Davis said of his relationship with Streeter. “Sometimes we won’t even talk about recruiting. He just wants to know how I’m doing, how my day’s going and stuff like that. He gives me advice on recruiting, what to look for, what not to look for.”

That being said, what is Davis looking for in a school at the next level?

Being just 15 years old, Davis obviously has some time before he’ll sit down and make that fateful decision, but he’s already outlined some of the more important factors he’s searching for.

“My end goal is to reach the NFL one day, so develop me to get to the NFL,” he said. “And just a guy who knows football and knows how to develop quarterbacks. The development piece is a big piece for me. And an institution where I can get a great education. My mom has always been no books, no ball, at the end of the day. So, a place like that and a place that I can call home.”

Beyond his Hudl highlights, Clemson fans haven’t been able to see much of Davis. Talking with TCI, he did his best to describe his style of play and how he carries himself on the field.

“I definitely like throwing the ball,” Davis said. “I work in the pocket. I have the ability to escape if I need to with my legs. Just deciphering the defense, taking what they give me and throwing the ball around getting it to my playmakers, so they can make plays for me.”

There’s not one particular quarterback that Davis models his game after. He likes to take bits and pieces from everyone’s game, combine it and make them his own.

However, he does like Deshaun Watson a lot. One of Davis’ trainers happens to be Quincy Avery, who also trains the former Clemson quarterback. Speaking of the Tigers’ quarterbacks, Davis also likes to watch Lawrence and Uiagalelei.

Additionally, Davis has trained with UNC quarterback Sam Howell, who went to Indian Trail High School in North Carolina, which isn’t too far from Davis’s stomping grounds. 

Davis is in no rush when it comes to his recruitment. At the end of the day, he’s just 15 years old. 

Right now, he’s laser-focused on putting last season’s Upper State Championship loss in the past and leading Catawba Ridge to a State Championship this season.

Still, Clemson is making a great impression on the young quarterback already.

“I like it a lot,” Davis said. “You look at the quarterback tradition there with Tajh Boyd starting it off, then Watson, then Trevor, and DJ, that’s a pretty heavy-hitting quarterback class right there. Coach Streeter’s proven that he knows how to develop quarterbacks for the next level. I like Clemson a lot.”

Time to get the latest Clemson apparel to show your Tiger pride. Order your officially licensed Clemson gear right here!

Clemson’s backup QB situation remains uneasy heading into camp

With Bubba Chandler off to play for the Pittsburgh Pirates organization and Will Taylor locked in as a Tiger, Clemson finally has a good idea what its quarterback room will look like when the Tigers begin camp in a few weeks. Obviously, it starts …

With Bubba Chandler off to play for the Pittsburgh Pirates organization and Will Taylor locked in as a Tiger, Clemson finally has a good idea what its quarterback room will look like when the Tigers begin camp in a few weeks.

Obviously, it starts with D.J. Uiagalelei, who is locked in as the starter to replace Trevor Lawrence. But who is Clemson’s backup is the number one question heading into fall camp?

Taisun Phommachanh was supposed to be the guy, and he likely will be before the 2021 season is complete, but right now he is out as he recovers from a torn Achilles he suffered in the final moments of the Spring Game on April 3.

As The Clemson Insider reported this past spring, the Tigers took a peak into the transfer portal for a possible backup, but it appears nothing ever came about it.

On May 27, Clemson offensive coordinator Tony Elliott told the ACC Network’s Packer & Durham Show that Phommachanh’s rehab is going well and they’re encouraged about where he is during the process.

“I anticipate at some point we will be able to move him back in and get some work out of him,” Elliott said. “We got some freshmen coming in that are highly recruited. We have a couple of walk-ons coming in. So, obviously, with Taisun going down in the spring game, it creates a little bit of anxiety, but as we progress and see kind of how he is progressing with his recovery, we feel good where we are at.”

But that does not help the Tigers now. Clemson likely will not get Phommachanh back until October at the earliest. That means Taylor, who the Texas Rangers drafted in the 19th round (554th pick) in Thursday’s MLB Draft, will be thrown into the mix in fall camp, despite the fact he just arrived at Clemson in June.

“Will Taylor is a state champion quarterback and is a great athlete,” head coach Dabo Swinney said back in the spring.”

Hunter Helms will likely start off the year as the backup quarterback. The former walk-on played some last season and had a good spring.

The coaches really like the way Helms competes. They think he has a chance to be someone they can count on, but as Swinney said after the Spring Game, “He is still a developing guy.”

After Helms and Taylor, the Tigers have walk-on Billy Wiles, a freshman who turned down Division I offers to join the team this summer.

Clemson will have to have Helms, Taylor and Wiles ready to play before the season starts. In 2016, ’17, ’18 and 2020, the Tigers had to turn to their backup quarterback to either finish or start a game.

It has happened five times since 2016 and Clemson is 3-2 in those five games in which the backup quarterback was forced to enter or start.

In other words, Clemson better have its backup quarterbacks ready.

Time to get the latest Clemson apparel to show your Tiger pride. Order your officially licensed Clemson gear right here!

Clemson’s backup QB situation remains uneasy heading into camp

With Bubba Chandler off to play for the Pittsburgh Pirates organization and Will Taylor locked in as a Tiger, Clemson finally has a good idea what its quarterback room will look like when the Tigers begin camp in a few weeks. Obviously, it starts …

With Bubba Chandler off to play for the Pittsburgh Pirates organization and Will Taylor locked in as a Tiger, Clemson finally has a good idea what its quarterback room will look like when the Tigers begin camp in a few weeks.

Obviously, it starts with D.J. Uiagalelei, who is locked in as the starter to replace Trevor Lawrence. But who is Clemson’s backup is the number one question heading into fall camp?

Taisun Phommachanh was supposed to be the guy, and he likely will be before the 2021 season is complete, but right now he is out as he recovers from a torn Achilles he suffered in the final moments of the Spring Game on April 3.

As The Clemson Insider reported this past spring, the Tigers took a peak into the transfer portal for a possible backup, but it appears nothing ever came about it.

On May 27, Clemson offensive coordinator Tony Elliott told the ACC Network’s Packer & Durham Show that Phommachanh’s rehab is going well and they’re encouraged about where he is during the process.

“I anticipate at some point we will be able to move him back in and get some work out of him,” Elliott said. “We got some freshmen coming in that are highly recruited. We have a couple of walk-ons coming in. So, obviously, with Taisun going down in the spring game, it creates a little bit of anxiety, but as we progress and see kind of how he is progressing with his recovery, we feel good where we are at.”

But that does not help the Tigers now. Clemson likely will not get Phommachanh back until October at the earliest. That means Taylor, who the Texas Rangers drafted in the 19th round (554th pick) in Thursday’s MLB Draft, will be thrown into the mix in fall camp, despite the fact he just arrived at Clemson in June.

“Will Taylor is a state champion quarterback and is a great athlete,” head coach Dabo Swinney said back in the spring.”

Hunter Helms will likely start off the year as the backup quarterback. The former walk-on played some last season and had a good spring.

The coaches really like the way Helms competes. They think he has a chance to be someone they can count on, but as Swinney said after the Spring Game, “He is still a developing guy.”

After Helms and Taylor, the Tigers have walk-on Billy Wiles, a freshman who turned down Division I offers to join the team this summer.

Clemson will have to have Helms, Taylor and Wiles ready to play before the season starts. In 2016, ’17, ’18 and 2020, the Tigers had to turn to their backup quarterback to either finish or start a game.

It has happened five times since 2016 and Clemson is 3-2 in those five games in which the backup quarterback was forced to enter or start.

In other words, Clemson better have its backup quarterbacks ready.

Time to get the latest Clemson apparel to show your Tiger pride. Order your officially licensed Clemson gear right here!