The expectations could not be any higher for Clemson quarterback DJ Uiagalelei heading into a season-opening top-5 battle with the Georgia Bulldogs at a neutral site. The first-year starter also has the challenging task of following Trevor Lawrence into the Tigers' starting quarterback job.
The media was sure to bring up Clemson's week one matchup with Georgia, as they did with Georgia during SEC Media Day when talking about Clemson. However, the sophomore quarterback feels that his high school experience will help him throughout his career at Clemson, especially in week one.
"Playing in big games, high school played in a lot of big games. Nowhere near the magnitude with the game we're about to play, full capacity stadium. I think in high school I played in front of 15,000. I like big moments. Really doesn't get me too nervous.
DJ's ability to keep composure during big games is similar to Georgia quarterback JT Daniels; the pair of California natives make many believe it's the "California cool" that makes guys deliver under pressure.
When speaking about Georgia, Uiagelelei said:
"We're going to play a great team in Georgia. I am super excited about being able to play them in Charlotte."
DJ enters the 2021 season with just two career starts. He filled in for a sick Trevor Lawrence last year on two occasions. He led the Tigers to a win over Boston College before losing on the road to Notre Dame in Clemson's only regular-season loss.
With Lawrence now in the NFL, this will be DJ's chance at leading the team full-time as the starting quarterback, and he will immediately be thrown into the deep end with a tough top-5 matchup in week one.
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