‘Big Dave’ Uiagalelei loves Clemson football using Justyn Ross in the slot
The Clemson football team is going through spring practice for the upcoming 2021 season and we’re already seeing some major changes.
One of the most interesting points of spring camp to this point was when Dabo Swinney told the media that the Tigers were utilizing WR Justyn Ross in the slot and that if the season began today, that’s where he would start at.
As we enter the D.J. Uiagalelei era for Clemson football, you’ve got to be dreaming about the dangers of Ross coming out of the slot and what that connection might look like.
‘Big Dave’ Uiagalelei- the beloved father of D.J.- posted just a short thought on Ross moving to the slot and what that might mean for the Tigers moving forward and he was absolutely right.
With Ross moving to the slot, he just made him self to be more dangerous. As you see in this play. https://t.co/5AGB0MAnCJ
— Big Dave Uiagalelei (@DUiagalelei) March 4, 2021
Clemson football with Justyn Ross in the slot is a nightmare for opposing defenses
Big Dave said that Ross had made himself ‘more dangerous’ by jumping in the slot and you can see it in his elite footwork shown in the video he shared of Ross during Clemson‘s win over Alabama in the 2019 National Championship game.
Ross has a big 6-foot-4 frame that makes him an extremely tough boundary wide receiver to defend, but the truth is that he has the speed and footwork to play in the slot. Ross is much better in shifting and route-running than many give him credit for and moving him to the slot is going to open up other receivers in the offense, as well.
We’re talking about a situation next year where you could line up with D.J. Uiagalelei in the shotgun and spread out to either side of him is E.J. Williams, Frank Ladson Jr., Justyn Ross and Joseph Ngata, all at one time. You can throw Braden Galloway into that mix if you want to use a tight end and there’s also a chance we see a little 5-wide look from the Tigers next season, as well.
It all starts with getting Ross in the slot and the mismatch that he’ll create there. From that point, everything else opens up and Big Dave is right when he says that can be a dangerous weapon for the Tigers this season.