Jason Priester All Clemson
Now Fully Healthy, Clemson QB DJ Uiagalelei Is Also 'Stronger and Faster'
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CLEMSON, S.C.- According to Dabo Swinney, DJ Uiagalelei is not the same quarterback he was last season.
During his first season as the Tigers' full-time starter, Uiagalelei was inconsistent, as he dealt with multiple injuries, including a sprained PCL and a fractured finger on his throwing hand.
However, as Clemson gets set to begin fall camp, Dabo Swinney says his quarterback is now fully healthy. Uiagalelei's also lost 25-30 pounds, which has only helped to make him better.
“Got his finger healthy, got his knee healthy, fortified that, and he's finally out of his brace," Swinney said. "He was in good shape last year and physically not in a bad spot, but he was good and now he’s become elite from a nutritional standpoint and a body composition standpoint. He’s just really taken care of his greatest asset, which is his body. And he’s just done it at an unbelievable level. When you look at him, you’re going to be like, ‘Wow.’ He looks great. He’s stronger. He’s faster.”
Going through the ups and downs of a season that saw him complete just 56% of his passes and throw more interceptions (10) than touchdowns (9) has also helped Uiagalelei grow on and off the field.
“Mentally, he’s just a different person than he was this time last year because of what he’s been through,” Swinney said. “He went through a lot. Obviously, we had a lot of challenges around him and a perfect-storm type of a year from an injury standpoint offensively, and he kind of lost his confidence. He didn’t play as well at times as he needed to, and, again not a lot of continuity to go with it."
The way Uiagalelei has dealt with the disappointing season has only solidified the quarterback's role as one of the leaders in the locker room.
“But watching him go through that and never make an excuse, never point a finger, I think it just fortified him as an unbelievable leader on this team. He’s incredibly respected, and he’s as committed and as hard a worker as we have on this team.”
Now that Uiagalelei is finally healthy, Swinney said all that is left is for his quarterback to go out and produce, and the head coach is confident that is exactly what will happen.
“He’s ready to go,” Swinney said. “Now he’s just got to go do it. And certainly we all know he can do it.”
The Tigers, who went 10-3 in 2021 and finished 14th in the final Associated Press Poll, are the fourth team on FanDuel Sportsbook's list to win it all in 2022.
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