Will Uiagalelei’s new-found confidence be difference against Tech?

Clemson OC Brandon Streeter really likes his quarterback’s mindset heading into the season opener

Ken Ruinard / USA TODAY Network

CLEMSON, S.C. — DJ Uiagalelei has lost almost 30 pounds since the end of the 2021 season.

Everyone can see it.

The Clemson quarterback made a major commitment to his physical well-being, and his hard work and dedication paid off. Uiagalelei checked into fall camp at 234 pounds, 26-pounds lighter than the 260 he played at against Iowa State in the Cheez-It Bowl last December.

But does losing all that weight translate to Uiagalelei being a better quarterback on the field? We are about to find out when the fourth-ranked Tigers take on Georgia Tech on Labor Day night in Atlanta.

It is a yes and no answer. Obviously, losing all that extra weight will help the junior be more mobile and agile in the pocket. It will help with his footwork and his mechanics.

But will it help with the mental aspect of his game?

Probably not, but it does help with his confidence and that is where Clemson offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter has seen a difference in his quarterback.

“I really think his poise factor. I mean, I really believe that the growth that he’s had in that area has been tremendous and him just understanding the big picture even more so than he has in the past,” Streeter said. “It has allowed him to be more confident and really to just have that poise that you need to have as a quarterback, whether that is leadership on the field or just poise in the pocket.

“All those things, he has grown up in that area and mentally he’s kind of put aside the things that happened last year.”

One of the things Uiagalelei has worked on is finding a way to not pay attention to all the distractions and outside noise. He poked fun of himself, the fans and media earlier this week when he gave his teammates noise cancelling headphones.

Inside each box, the Clemson quarterback left a note that read, “A gift for the journey ahead when you need to block out the noise and channel your inner DJ.”

Uiagalelei and Streeter both indicated he probably paid too much attention to criticism last year. But he has moved past that and is focused on how he can help Clemson get back to the College Football Playoff.

“Yeah, we've talked about that a lot over the last year, and you know I feel like he’s in a really good spot,” Streeter said. “I feel like, like I mentioned earlier, the confidence piece with this offense is the biggest part and it starts with a quarterback. So, he’s shown a lot of confidence and we have a lot of confidence in him. I am just excited about, like I said earlier, just finally going out there and playing somebody else.”

It starts this Monday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

In this same game last year, Uiagalelei struggled to adjust as the Yellow Jackets scrapped their usual defensive scheme and dropped eight players into coverage. Though he completed 18 of 25 passes, Uiagalelei threw for just 126 yards, as Georgia Tech’s defense frustrated the Clemson offense by eliminating its big-play capabilities.

It was a blueprint for how other teams played the Tigers the rest of the year, hurting Uiagalelei’s performance and his confidence.

“You watched the film last year and you know he was a little bit, um you know, not quite as sharp fundamentally and so that’s something that we talked about, and not just in the offseason,” Streeter said. “But as we get closer to this game, because it showed in that game last year, and so that’s the biggest thing is fundamentals under pressure. Fundamentals at crunch time and maintaining that poise throughout that experience.

“Are you at a point now where you don’t really need to sit? He’s like, ‘Oh, there it is. Oh, there it is. Oh, I see it,’ and you guys can kind of move on. I just ask him, ‘You coach yourself right here DJ. You tell me what you can do better right there?’ And he’s really quick to answer. So, he’s a sharp kid. He’s a bright kid. He’s very aware and he knows exactly what he needs to do.”

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