Clemson exits first game pleased with the offense and DJ Uiagalelei’s performance
Things did not look pretty for Clemson’s offense — at least not early on in the game.
The fourth-ranked Tigers’ first four possessions in Monday’s 41-10 victory over Georgia Tech at Mercedes-Benz Stadium went like this: three-and-out, lost fumble, three-and-out and three-and-out.
On the fifth possession, when Carson Donnelly blocked a Yellow Jackets punt and Brannon Spector returned it 13 yards to the 5-yard line, it took the offense all four plays to get the football into the end zone. Will Shipley ran untouched from a yard out on fourth down with 9:53 to play in the second quarter to finally get Clemson on the scoreboard with a 7-0 lead.
“They threw a lot at us,” Clemson quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei said of the Georgia Tech defense. “Dropped a lot of guys, buzzed a lot of linebackers, a lot of spinning with the safeties ... They had some good calls dialed up for when we had plays on third down.”
Uiagalelei threw a six-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Beaux Collins with 3:52 to play in the second quarter for a 14-0 lead. It wasn’t after Georgia Tech (0-1, 0-1 ACC) rallied to cut the lead to 14-10 with 9:47 to go in the third quarter when the Clemson offense finally kicked into gear.
The Tigers (1-0, 1-0 ACC) scored on five of their last six possessions in the second half, while racking up 281 of their 378 yards on those six possessions.
“Today, even before the game, we just talked about how we respond as an offense, and then each position group,” new offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter said. “That is the name of game for football. That is the name of the game for life — just being able to respond.”
While responding, Clemson got two field goals from kicker B.T. Potter, a nine-yard touchdown run by Uiagalelei, a three-yard score by Will Shipley and a three-yard touchdown pass from backup quarterback Cade Klubnik to Will Taylor.
“We were not midseason form,” Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said. “Kind of best case scenario tonight that DJ had to kind of fight through some adversity and just really show the grit and moxie, and he made some big plays, man, with his feet, extended plays, made some beautiful throws.”
Uiagalelei had a national spotlight on him Monday after throwing more interceptions (10) than touchdown passes (nine) in his first season as Clemson’s full-time starter last fall.
“Probably best case scenario that it didn’t just all go perfect,” Swinney said. “There’s nobody in America that had more eyes on him tonight than our quarterback. I love how he responded.”
Uiagalelei completed 19 of 32 passes for 210 yards. Among those 19 completions was the 6-yard dart to Collins in the back of the end zone in the second quarter that put the Tigers up 14-0 at the time.
Uiagalelei also carried the ball 13 times, gaining 41 yards in the designed runs. One of those runs was a 9-yard scamper with 1:18 to play in the third quarter.
“He has a skillset that is really good as a runner,” Streeter said. “He lost some weight. He got quicker. He got faster and he got stronger, and it is something that, any time you can run the quarterback, it is something where you are going to be able to pick up an extra hat, pick up an extra blocker in the run game.
“We knew going in that we want to definitely get him going, and I think that helps a quarterback, too.”
The Tigers finished the night 7 of 15 on third down, and they scored the game’s final 27 points.
“It’s just a good start,” Swinney said. “The goal was to win the opener and create some momentum — something we didn’t do last year. Every championship team I’ve had we won the opener, so it’s a big game. And, again, a lot we can build on and correct.”
Next Clemson game
Who: Clemson (1-0) vs. Furman (1-0)
When: 3:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: Memorial Stadium in Clemson
TV: ACC Network
Line: Clemson by 44.5
