Clemson QB DJ Uiagalelei Reportedly Expected to Enter Transfer Portal

The DJ Uiagalelei era may be over at Clemson.

Chris Hummer of 247Sports reported the Tigers quarterback is expected to enter the transfer portal.

Entering the portal doesn't preclude Uiagalelei from returning to the program, but his days were effectively numbered after he got benched for Cade Klubnik in the ACC Championship Game on Saturday.

Klubnik finished 20-of-24 for 279 yards and one touchdown as Clemson beat North Carolina 39-10. After the game, head coach Dabo Swinney confirmed the true freshman will start the Orange Bowl on Dec. 30.

"Moving forward, Cade will be the starter going in and DJ will be the backup and we’ll keep moving forward," he told reporters.

For many Tigers fans, the change was long overdue.

Expectations for Uiagalelei couldn't have been much higher when he took over as the full-time starter in 2021. He was replacing Trevor Lawrence, perhaps the greatest QB in program history, and his brief cameo when filling in for Lawrence in 2020 only added to the hype. Not to mention, the comparisons to Cam Newton had been made before he ever took a college snap.

Instead, Uiagalelei might become a bit of a cautionary tale.

As a sophomore, he threw for 2,246 yards, nine touchdowns and 10 interceptions while completing just 55.6 percent of his passes. His work on the ground (308 yards, four touchdowns) wasn't enough to compensate for his struggles as a passer.

The 6'4", 235-pound signal-caller improved in 2022 but still didn't reach an elite level. Assuming he doesn't suit up in the Orange Bowl, he'll finish with 2,521 passing yards, 22 touchdowns and seven interceptions along with 545 rushing yards and seven scores.

A change of scenery should benefit Uiagalelei. Although he's a bit of a project, he should be on the radar for Power Five schools looking to address an immediate need at quarterback.

Uiagalelei's size and skill set will be enough to convince a head coach he can thrive in the right offensive scheme.

For Clemson, his departure will mean avoiding any sort of quarterback controversy. It's full steam ahead with Klubnik in 2023.

The Tigers have a commitment from Christopher Vizzina, too, to provide additional depth at the position. Vizzina is the sixth-best quarterback and No. 27 overall player in 247Sports' composite rankings for the 2023 class.