D.J. Uiagalelei had a chance to speak with the media Wednesday, as Clemson inches closer to its season opener against Georgia Tech on Monday night in Atlanta.

The last time these two ACC teams met, the Tigers came out on top, 14-8. When asked about facing the Yellow Jackets, Uiagalelei responded, “It’s been a long offseason of the same opponent every single day in practice, so I’m excited to go against a new opponent with Georgia Tech.”

The offseason has been a key time for Uiagalelei to develop physically and mentally as a player.

“I feel really good, man,” he said. “Mentally, I feel really good. My head is in a good spot right now. Physically, my body feels one-hundred percent healthy. I feel good, man, now I feel ready to go.”

Aside from personal progression, Uiagalelei noted that the entire offensive line has grown from last season.

“I think this year it’s in a totally upward direction where it’s even better than last year,” he said, “and I think a lot comes from the maturity of the team on offense and even on defense as well.”

From a leadership perspective, experiences from the past season showed Uiagalelei what it means to be a true leader.

“The hardest part about being this leader is when you’re down and you’re not playing as good as you want to,” he said. “I think that was what taught me a lot about being a leader.”

Touching on the hardships of last season, Uiagalelei thanked his teammates and coaches.

“I’m unbelievably thankful for all the teammates and especially Coach Swinney that stood behind my back, stood behind me and supported me through it all,” he said.

Uiagalelei is focused on what’s to come with undeniable loyalty from his team going into the season.

“I think we’re all just excited to get out there game one and show everyone who we are this year,” he said.

Tune in to ESPN at 8 p.m. on Sept. 5 to watch the Tigers open up the 2022 season.