Uiagalelei’s Presence in Run Game Opens up Offense

CLEMSON, S.C. — There are several reasons why No. 4 Clemson currently ranks third in the Atlantic Coast Conference in scoring offense. However, the biggest reason has to be the Tigers’ ability to run the football.

It is not like Clemson is plowing over the opposition as they did back in the Danny Ford era. But they are running the football effectively and doing it well enough that it is keeping defenses honest.

What’s the biggest difference in Clemson’s running game compared to last year?

It’s DJ Uiagalelei.

“I think DJ has helped the running game just by gaining an extra hat,” offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter said, “and by feeling super confident as a runner compared to last year, which we were lacking.”

Through the first six games of the season, Uiagalelei has rushed for 311 yards and scored three touchdowns. He is second on the team in rushing yards and is averaging 4.6 yards per carry.

Being healthy has been the biggest difference for the junior. After playing at 265 pounds last year, Uiagalelei dropped 30 pounds. He is lighter on his feet and faster, too.

It has also helped that he is not wearing a knee brace, which he had to do for much of the year in 2021, which subsequently took him away as a legitimate run threat.

However, as Uiagalelei has proven over the last four games, defenses have to take him into account.

“It feels good being healthy and being able to run without having a knee brace on. My knee is one hundred percent healthy. That is one big thing,” Uiagalelei said Monday from the Poe Indoor practice facility. “I feel like just the comfortability I have in the game, that every time I get the ball, I am trying to take it to the house and make a big gain.”

He did that in Clemson’s victory over Boston College. Playing a zone-read concept in the fourth quarter, Uiagalelei pulled the ball from the running back when he saw the defensive end crash down. He then ran 40 yards up the middle of the field before tripping himself as he tried to make one last cut.

“I knew I was not going to outrun the defense. I definitely know that is not what I am going to do,” Uiagalelei said with a grin. “It’s just reality. I knew I was not going to outrun them, but I tried to cut back and just ate it. I just fell on my face right there.

“It looked pretty bad. I watched the TV copy. It looked pretty bad. I wish it did not look that bad. I just have to keep my feet underneath me.”

It was not that bad. It did set up his 13-yard touchdown pass to Brannon Spector on the next play.

“I was pretty pissed. Pretty mad. Pretty upset,” Uiagalelei said. “I was like, ‘Dang! I had a chance there if I had just cut back and tried to keep my feet underneath me.’ I tried to do too much right there. I was pretty upset.”

Uiagalelei led the Tigers (6-0, 4-0 ACC) with 69 yards on 12 carries. It marked the fourth straight game in which he rushed for at least 50 yards, the first Clemson quarterback to do that since Deshaun Watson did it during the last eight games of the 2015 season.

“I love running. I love passing, too. So, it is whatever the defense gives us,” Uiagalelei said. “If that means I have to run the ball as many times as I do, 30 times a game or I don’t have to run it, it just depends on whatever the defense is giving me.

“The quarterback run game has been working. I like it. It has been working out well. Hopefully, it continues to keep working.”

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