With Clemson football’s woes continuing to add up, the Tigers finally benched struggling quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei against Pitt.
D.J. Uiagalelei’s first season as a starter for Clemson has been a study in filling impossible shoes.
Unfortunately for the young quarterback, the mistakes and failing confidence caught up to him against Pitt.
After Uiagalelei threw a pick six on a shovel pass, Dabo Swinney pulled the plug and replaced him with backup Taisun Phommachanh.
CFB media saw Clemson benching D.J. Uiagalelei as almost inevitable
Here’s what the college football media had to say about the moment.
https://twitter.com/ADavidHaleJoint/status/1452026908493950985
Spencer Rattler and now DJ Uiagalelei. Man, preseason don’t mean nothing. Wasn’t nothing but NIL’s & talk.
— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) October 23, 2021
DJ Uiagalelei just got benched.
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) October 23, 2021
DJ Uiagalelei is on the sideline with quarterbacks coach Brandon Streeter. Felt like Clemson had no other choice but to put Taisun Phommachanh in.
— Grace Raynor (@gmraynor) October 23, 2021
https://twitter.com/ADavidHaleJoint/status/1452026265037324288
Dabo Swinney pulled DJ Uiagalelei after the shovel pass pick six. He is 11-of-23 for 101 yards and two picks.
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) October 23, 2021
That means Vegas' top 2 preseason Heisman favorites have now been benched.
Uiagalelei isn’t the first highly touted quarterback to get benched this season and he may not be the last. That’s just how college football works sometimes.
The big question for Clemson now is whether or not the backup has some magic Uiagalelei couldn’t produce.
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