Clemson football: Should Dabo Swinney bench D.J. Uiagalalei?

Is it time for Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney to turn to another quarterback? Should the Tigers bench D.J. Uiagalelei?

The Clemson Tigers are in the midst of an uncharacteristically rough season. The Tigers, who have recently ascended to becoming one of the most prominent programs in the country, have appeared vulnerable and mortal throughout the year up to this point.

When considering how the Tigers are struggling on offense, is it time for Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney to make a change at quarterback?

The Tigers’ offense has been rough. While Clemson has been known for racking up yards and putting up points with ease in recent years, that’s not happening right now. The Tigers have been incredibly reliant upon their defense to get wins this year.

So far, Clemson is averaging 20.5 points per game, which ranks as 112th nationally. When it comes to yards gained, the Tigers aren’t doing well there either. Through the first half of the regular season, Clemson is averaging just 325.5 yards per game.

And much of those struggles go back to how starting quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei is performing. So, is it time to move on?

Should Dabo Swinney bench D.J. Uiagalalei with the Clemson Tigers continue to struggle?

Given how Uiagalelei is just a sophomore and is likely the future of this football program, the argument should be made that Clemson should stick with him and give him a chance to develop. Sure, Uiagalelei has completed just 55.7 percent of his passes, and that’s not great, but this is his first season as a full-time starter and a quarterback’s development can sometimes take a while longer than fans might like.

And it appears as if Swinney also believes the Tigers need to continue to trust their starting quarterback. Even though Uiagalalei hasn’t played up to the incredibly high standards and expectations that fans and media members had for him, he’s still talented and should have opportunities to grow.

Right now, Uiagalelei isn’t making egregious errors and is generally avoiding turning the ball over. If Clemson can find a way to better develop a more dangerous running game to take some pressure off its young quarterback then things might be a bit easier for Tiger fans to watch.

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