Clemson football: 3 reasons D.J. Uiagalelei will be program’s first Heisman winner

Clemson quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei(5) passes during football practice in Clemson, S.C. Monday, March 8, 2021.Clemson Spring Football Practice March 8
Clemson quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei(5) passes during football practice in Clemson, S.C. Monday, March 8, 2021.Clemson Spring Football Practice March 8 /
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D.J. Uiagalelei, Clemson football Mandatory Credit: Josh Morgan-USA TODAY Sports /

Three reasons D.J. Uiagalelei could be the first Heisman winner in Clemson football history

The Clemson football program has never had a Heisman Trophy winner in its history, but there’s a chance that could change in the near future.

As we head into the 2021 season for the Clemson football team, there is a new quarterback taking over at the helm for the Tigers in D.J. Uiagalelei.

Uiagalelei, the former No. 1 overall QB in the nation in 2020, sat behind Trevor Lawrence last season and was called into action as the starter for two games last year, where he threw for nearly 800 yards and accounted for six touchdowns.

Now, as we enter the Uiagalelei Era of Clemson football, here’s a look at three reasons why he could become the program’s first Heisman Trophy winner.

3. Clemson will be a legitimate competitor both of his starting seasons

The first key in becoming a Heisman hopeful is having a team that is legitimately competitive.

You’re not winning the Heisman Trophy on an 8-4 team, at least not normally. Since the inception of the CFB Playoff, the winner of the Heisman Trophy has been on one of the semifinal teams six of the seven years. The only year that wasn’t the case was in 2016 when Lamar Jackson (Louisville) won the award.

Unless you’ve got a transcendent player like Lamar Jackson who comes along, you’re really talking about the Heisman being chose from a CFB Playoff contender team, even if the two entities are separate.

Uiagalelei will certainly be in the mix for a playoff berth and that’s the first step to bringing home the award.