Clemson Football: 5 Tigers to watch Monday night

There’s no way around it, Uiagalelei will be under the microscope this and every week this season and perhaps beyond.

Now that we’re clear that the job is Uiagalelei’s and not a shared responsibility, we can also clear up what D.J. needs to do for the Tigers to be successful.

As I’ve pointed out previously, Uiagalelei doesn’t need to lead the NCAA in quarterbacking for the Tigers to win big.  Georgia’s elite defense last season meant Stetson Bennett only needed to be around 50th in PFF rating for the Bulldogs to win the National Championship.  That said, Uiagalelei was a long way from 50th last season, coming in at 206 overall.

Uiagalelei needs help, both from the line and his receivers and running backs as it was a team effort in the way the Tigers 2021 season went. Injuries were everywhere, and drops were aplenty, but at the end of the day the quarterback gets the glory and blame.

Faster decisions with conviction is something Uiagalelei needs to have mastered and it’s going to be fascinating to see where his confidence level is and how he handles the adversity that’s bound to come at various points throughout the season and let’s not forget five star freshman Cade Klubnik chomping at the bit for an opportunity.