Swinney Updates DJ Uiagalelei's Status as Clemson's Starting QB

Clemson will continue with DJ Uiagalelei as the starting quarterback against UNC in the ACC Championship Game on Saturday.

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DJ Uiagalelei will be the starting quarterback for Clemson in the ACC Championship Game on Saturday. 

Tigers' head coach Dabo Swinney confirmed during Sunday's ACC teleconference that his junior signal-caller will be the first to take the field against North Carolina at Bank of America Stadium a week after struggling in a 31-30 loss to rival South Carolina. 

"Yeah, he's still the starter," Swinney said. "He's not the reason we lost the game (to South Carolina). He can't catch it. Again, he doesn't play safety. He doesn't return kicks. He's got his share of things he can do better but he will definitely start the game."

Uiagalelei is coming off the worst performance of his career in a loss. He went 8-of-29 passing for 99 yards. That tied the lowest passing output of his starting career with last year's game against South Carolina. But Clemson won that game. This year, the Tigers lost for the first time in the series since 2013. 

Uiagalelei had one touchdown pass but threw an interception with the Tigers down a point in the fourth quarter in Week 13. Uiagalelei did rush for 51 yards and a score, and he got dinged up at some point in the game. 

Swinney said after the game the coaching staff considered going to backup Cade Klubnik if Uiagalelei wasn't healthy but he told the coaches he was fine. 

Uiagalelei has not played as well in the second half of the season as he did early on. Five of his seven interceptions have come in the last five games and four of his worst yards-per-pass performances have also come during that span. 

Clemson will go into the game against North Carolina with Klubnik still serving as No. 2. He hasn't started a game this season but did come in twice this season when Uiagalelei was benched for performance. 

On the season, Klubnik is 11-of-22 passing for 98 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He's rushed 15 times for 58 yards.

Swinney was asked Sunday about Klubnik's development and said he's "doing good, doing real good," and left it at that. 

Kickoff in Charlotte is scheduled for 8 p.m.

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