Former Clemson quarterback DJ Uiagalelei made headlines recently when he expressed frustrations over the Tigers’ offense in an interview with The Athletic, saying he believed the scheme was “very basic” and wasn’t tailored around what he feels he does best.

“I didn’t want to do what I was doing at Clemson,” Uiagalelei said. “I didn’t really like what we did there scheme-wise. I didn’t think we did very much. I thought it was very basic. It didn’t help me out as a quarterback and play to my strengths. I wanted to go somewhere that would play to my strengths and go somewhere that would develop me for the NFL. Play-action, work under center, throw the ball deep.”

In a recent episode of Always College Football with Greg McElroy, the ESPN analyst was asked for his thoughts on Uiagalelei’s comments about Clemson’s offense the past few years and whether or not McElroy thinks the comments are valid.

“Very, very valid,” McElroy said. “And I don’t think you ever need to be in a position where you’re taking shots or it gives off the impression that there’s bad blood. You’re never gonna win there. Because you could also look at it and say, well man, there were plenty of open receivers and DJ missed them. You watch the tape of DJ Uiagalelei in 2020, the two starts that he made in 2020, and then watch the tape from 2021 and then not all of 2022, but most of 2022 – the play was erratic in 2021 and 2022. There were some good moments. For instance, his performance against Wake Forest was really admirable.”

Uiagalelei shined in a couple of spot starts as a true freshman in 2020, but unfortunately, things didn’t pan out for him at Clemson over the next two seasons. The former five-star prospect struggled in his first full season as the starting quarterback in 2021 before having an up-and-down 2022 campaign that ultimately saw him lose the starting job to Cade Klubnik in the ACC Championship Game.

McElroy acknowledged that Uiagalelei didn’t have the type of game-changing playmakers and weapons around him that other quarterbacks at Clemson like Trevor Lawrence and Deshaun Watson had in the past. But McElroy knows Uiagalelei’s inconsistent performance was an issue, too, and McElroy suggested him to “move on” now that he has transferred to Oregon State for the next chapter of his college career.

“I think that some of the things that were said by DJ Uiagalelei were somewhat fair,” McElroy said. “The supporting cast wasn’t what it necessarily was in the past. But also, at the same time, he left plays on the field. So, if I were him, I would move on. You have a fresh start. Don’t worry about what happened to Clemson. You have a fresh start at Oregon State, where you can work and focus and hone in on your craft. Do you have aspirations of winning a national championship? For sure. But they’re not going to be shouldered on your shoulders. Why? Because Oregon State is a team that wants to pound the football… So, you don’t have to be the hero at Oregon State.

“You just have to be the guy that distributes the football and makes great decisions, which should be a great position for DJ Uiagalelei to regain who he was just a few years ago when everbody thought he was the Heisman frontrunner coming into the season in ’21.”

Xavier Thomas is back to win another championship.  Dear Old Clemson has added signed posters from Thomas to our online store.  For this weekend only they are on sale at an introductory price of only $30.

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