ESPN Senior Writer Adam Rittenberg recently published a piece breaking down college football’s top remaining quarterback battles (subscription required), and he weighed in on Clemson’s quarterback competition between rising junior D.J. Uiagalelei and true freshman Cade Klubnik.

Following Uiagalelei’s stellar freshman debut in 2020, when he threw for 781 yards and four touchdowns with no picks in two starts vs. Boston College and Notre Dame, the former five-star prospect struggled in his first full season as Clemson’s starter last year while completing only 55.6 percent of his passes with more interceptions (10) than touchdown passes (nine).

“Before the 2021 season, few thought Uiagalelei would be here, fighting off an incoming freshman to keep a job that was set up to be his after Trevor Lawrence’s NFL departure,” Rittenberg wrote. “But little about last fall went as planned for Clemson’s offense or Uiagalelei… He looked lost at times while leading an offense that plummeted to 82nd nationally in scoring. Longtime playcaller Tony Elliott has gone to Virginia, although Clemson maintained continuity by promoting quarterbacks coach Brandon Streeter to offensive coordinator.”

Uiagalelei is being pushed by Klubnik, a former five-star prospect from Westlake High School (Austin, Texas) who was ranked as the No. 1 quarterback in the 2022 recruiting class by multiple recruiting services.

In Clemson’s spring game, Uiagalelei went 17 of 36 passing for 175 yards and threw the game’s only interception, while Klubnik was 15 of 23 and had the only passing touchdown of the game.

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney made it clear that Uiagalelei is still the starter exiting the spring. By all accounts, Uiagalelei had a solid spring in which he improved on his accuracy and decision-making, though Klubnik seems to be breathing down his neck after performing well in his first 15 practices as a Tiger.

So, what is Rittenberg’s prediction for how Clemson’s QB battle will shake out?

Rittenberg gave his Week 1 starter prediction, opining that it will be Uiagalelei who gets the nod in the Tigers’ season opener against Georgia Tech at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Sept. 5 (8 p.m., ESPN).

“Swinney is all about continuity, as he showed in promoting Streeter and Wes Goodwin to replace longtime coordinators Elliott and Brent Venables,” Rittenberg wrote. “He seems unlikely to abandon Uiagalelei despite last season’s struggles. Unless Klubnik shows in August that he’s undeniably better, Uiagalelei should get the first opportunity during a manageable opening stretch (Georgia Tech, Furman, Louisiana Tech).”

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