Clemson Spring Practice Preview: Quarterback

As the Tigers move into spring one of the positions that all eyes are going to be on will be the quarterback position.

After a very lackluster 2021 season that was filled with ups and downs by DJ Uiagalelei, many will be looking to see if he can rebound and become the star that Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney believes he can be.

Uiagalelei was expected to build off of his two solid starts in 2020, but instead seemed to lack confidence, overthrew wide open receivers, and had more interceptions than touchdowns. Uiagalelei threw for 2,246 yards, completing 66 percent of his passes.

Another thing that will be watched closely during the spring is Uiagalelei’s health. The quarterback dealt with multiple injuries and it’s not even clear if he will be 100% by the start of spring practice.

All eyes will also be on incoming freshman Cade Klubnik. The 5-star prospect was the No. 1 quarterback in the country and the early enrollee is expected to either make Uiagalelei better or eventually pass him by for the starting job.

The MaxPreps High School Player of the Year from Texas had a huge year that he finished off with an impressive All-American Bowl performance. In other words, unlike last season, the Tigers now have other options.

It will be interesting to see just how far along Klubnik really is when spring practice gets underway. Everyone has seen and discussed how talented he is, but he will still have to learn the ins and outs of the playbook. Despite playing in one of the toughest high school leagues in the country, it’s still a huge jump to big boy college football.

Regardless of what some fans believe, Swinney isn’t going to let the teams best option to win ride the bench. In other words, expect the leash to be much shorter for Uiagalelei than it was last season.

Hunter Johnson is also back. If Uiagalelei still struggles and Klubnik isn’t ready to play immediately for whatever reason, could the super senior get a shot?

Hunter Helms will be entering his third season, while Billy Wiles will be beginning his second, with both also battling for spots on the depth chart.