On ESPN’s College Football Live, a couple of the network’s analysts discussed the quarterback shuffle in college football with a slew of signal-callers utilizing the transfer portal.
ESPN’s Rod Gilmore and Aaron Murray weighed in on who they see as the biggest impact transfer quarterbacks, and Gilmore brought up DJ Uiagalelei, who of course transferred to Oregon State following three seasons with Clemson.
Gilmore, a former starting defensive back for Stanford, was asked which quarterback he believes can make an immediate impact and perhaps be a season-changer for their new team this season.
“Well, I like the move of DJ Uiagalelei going to Oregon State,” Gilmore said. “I think that’s the perfect place for him. That is a top-20 football team that last year could have won 11 or 12 games. They had below average quarterback play, and had they gotten average play, they might’ve won the Pac-12. They had USC on the ropes, but their quarterback (Chance Nolan) threw four picks in that game and they lost by three.
“So, DJ moves into a situation where there’s a solid offensive line, and the system works for him because Jonathan Smith, the head coach, believes in the NFL style, the play-action game and protecting the quarterback. So, DJ’s going to get every opportunity to be a pro-style quarterback at Oregon State, and this is a team that – a lot of people may be shocked to hear this – 10 wins, that might be the starting point. They might win 11 or 12 next year with DJ.”
Uiagalelei had a 22-6 record as a starter at Clemson from 2020-22. The former five-star prospect from California completed 59.8 percent of his passes for 5,681 yards and 36 touchdowns with 17 interceptions in 36 games (28 starts) for the Tigers. He also recorded 275 career carries for 913 yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground.
“I think DJU has a lot of talent,” Murray, the former Georgia star QB, added in response to Gilmore’s comments. “Sometimes you talk about getting a new landscape, a new change of scenery, he definitely needed that after Clemson.”
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