Clemson coach Dabo Swinney always planned for talented freshman quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei to take over for Trevor Lawrence – just not this weekend against Boston College.
That’s the situation for the top-ranked Tigers, however, after Lawrence tested positive for COVID-19 as announced Thursday night. The junior star is out Saturday against the Eagles (4-2, 3-2 Atlantic Coast Conference), and his status for Clemson’s next game, against No. 4 Notre Dame on Nov. 7, is unclear because Lawrence must sit out at least 10 days.
So ready or not, Uiagalelei (oo-ee-AHN-ga-leh-lay) gets the chance to show his skills as Clemson’s starter.
Uiagalelei was a highly rated passer – ranked the No. 2 overall college prospect by Rivals.com – and is expected to be the next standout Clemson quarterback. Swinney hopes Uiagalelei has the kind of success as a Tiger enjoyed by Deshaun Watson, now with the Houston Texans, and Lawrence, who is the leading Heisman Trophy candidate and the likely top pick in the 2021 NFL draft.
The 6-foot-4, 250-pound Uiagalelei is from Inland Empire, California, near Los Angeles. He enrolled in January and went through nine spring practices before the coronavirus pandemic shut down sports in mid-March. He has shown a big arm and a power running game in five appearances, mostly after Lawrence and the Tigers (6-0, 5-0) have had victories in hand.