DJ Uiagalelei benched by Clemson for Cade Klubnik
Photo Credit: Ken Ruinard via Imagn Content Services, LLC
A week after giving an impassioned defense of D.J. Uiagalelei, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney benched his quarterback.
The Tigers made a QB change during the third quarter of their game on Saturday against Syracuse. Uiagalelei had thrown an interception in the third quarter, which led the Tigers to have Cade Klubnik begin warming up on the sidelines.
After Clemson got the ball back, Klubnik came out to lead the offense.
Uiagalelei had gone 13/21 for 138 yards and two interceptions prior to being benched. He had just 13 rushing yards on eight carries.
Uiagalelei began his college career as a top recruit, but he has not lived up to the hype. Now in his third season with Clemson, DJ had the Tigers undefeated on the season, but he wasn’t exactly lighting things up. That led to questions for Dabo Swinney about DJ’s status as a starter. Swinney said that line of questioning/thinking was “embarrassing.”
Dabo last week: “Everybody had their prognostications on when (Uiagalelei) wouldn’t be the starter anymore. People love to do that type of stuff. It’s embarrassing, really. But that’s the world we live in.”
Dabo this week: Benches Uiagalelei
— Thor Nystrom (@thorku) October 22, 2022
But we found out that when it comes down to it, Swinney won’t hesitate to make a change when he feels his team needs it.
