In 2018, Clemson and head coach Dabo Swinney engaged in a quarterback rotation with starter Kelly Bryant and freshman phenom Trevor Lawrence. Bryant was the starter as an effective dual-threat QB and Lawrence was the fan favorite #1 national recruit out of Cartersville, Georgia. For the first four games of the season, Swinney started Bryant but rotated Lawrence in to give him significant playing time. After four games, Lawrence was named the starter and Bryant announced his intent to transfer. Lawrence led the Tigers to an undefeated season and a 41-16 blowout win over Alabama to win the national championship. Lawrence would become the #1 pick in the 2021 NDL Draft and currently plays for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Bryant transferred to Missouri and is a journeyman pro QB after spending 2021 in the Canadian Football League. In 2022, Dabo will reprise this quarterback rotation with D.J. Uiagalelei and freshman phenom Cade Klubnik.
Game 1 Quarterback Rotation
In #4 Clemson’s 41-10 win over Georgia Tech in their 2022 season opener, we saw the genesis of the quarterback rotation. Uiagalelei led a sporadic Clemson offense, totaling only 260 yards and 24 points through three quarters of the game. Uiagalelei was 17/26 for 162 yards and a TD at the end of the third quarter. DJ would end up 2/6 for 47 yards in the final quarter. Uiagalelei also had 13 rushes for 20 yards and a touchdown in the game.
Klubnik came in for Clemson’s final offensive drive and went 4/6 for 49 yards passing with a touchdown to Will Taylor. Klubnik also rushed one time for four yards. Clemson ended the game with 368 yards of total offense, 258 passing and 120 rushing. Clemson’s offense often looked out of sync with Uiagalelei under center. Clemson’s offensive struggle can be attributed to a solid Georgia Tech defense that held the Tigers in check most of the night. However, Uiagalelei played a large part in those struggles.
Offensive Struggles
Clemson went three and out on three of their first four offensive possessions. The Tigers’ second possession of the game, they fumbled the ball after four plays. Their other three possessions gained 9 yards, -6 yards, and 9 yards. Clemson scored on their fifth possession after a blocked punt, taking four plays to travel five yards into the end zone. After the first quarter, Uiagalelei was 2/3 for 17 yards and no touchdowns. Clemson had 18 yards rushing on nine carries, including a QB sack.
Clemson scored touchdowns on back-to-back drives to open the second quarter and take a 14-3 lead into halftime. The Tigers began the second half with another three-and-out. The series included an intentional grounding by Uiagalelei on third down. Clemson scored a field goal and a touchdown to increase their lead to 24-10 going into the fourth quarter. The Tigers still looked like a car stuck in second gear on offense. Clemson had the engine to race down the freeway but Uiagalelei didn’t know how to work the clutch.
Clemson scored 17 points in the fourth quarter to make the final score look like a blowout, but it was misleading. Another blocked punt led to a 15 yard drive for a TD to make the score 34-10. Klubnik came in on the final possession for a 10 play, 66 yard drive for the final score.
Klubnik showed decisiveness and a quick trigger when passing the ball. After three quarters in an offensive malaise, the Tigers moved in a quick tempo behind Klubnik. Clemson’s offense operated and executed like you expect of the #4 team in the nation.
Moving Forward
You can’t read too much into one series in the fourth quarter of the season opener. However, there was a definite difference in the look of the offense with Cade Klubnik under center. Clemson faces Furman this Saturday and then Louisiana Tech on September 17. Expect Klubnik to see as much as a half of playing time against Furman and a quarter against Lousiana Tech. Dabo Swinney needs to make a decision on who his starting QB for the remainder of the 2022 season is before the Tigers play Wake Forest on September 24.
If Clemson is going to compete for the Atlantic Coast Conference championship and a spot in the College Football Playoff, Dabo Swinney will reprise the Bryant/Lawrence rotation with an eye toward making Klubnik the starter going forward.