"That’s somewhere I played at": Florida State QB DJ Uiagalelei admits it will be weird playing against former team Clemson in the upcoming season

After a successful season at Oregon State, DJ Uiagalelei has found himself in the Atlantic Coast Conference once again. The quarterback transferred to Florida State following the conclusion of the 2023 college football season and will replace NFL-bound Jordan Travis.

DJ Uiagalelei was viewed as a brilliant replacement for Trevor Lawrence at Clemson. However, he couldn't fit into the role as he struggled significantly in the 2022 season. Two years down the line, he will be playing against the Tigers with its fierce rival and he admits it's weird.

“I think yeah [it will be weird], because that’s somewhere I played at,” Uiagalelei said. “That was my first place I played at. That’s the place I graduated from.”

“A lot of my friends are still on the team, a lot of the coaches I still know, and I still have a lot of love for Clemson, and they did nothing but—it was an amazing time I had at Clemson.”

DJ Uiagalelei loves his time at Clemson

While DJ Uiagalelei's time as the starting quarterback of Clemson was an unsuccessful one, he relishes his time at the program. The signal-caller admitted that Dabo Swinney and his coaching staff were great people and he loved his time at Death Valley despite moving elsewhere.

Uiagalelei notably earned a degree in communications at Clemson before leaving for Oregon State in 2022. The quarterback noted that his best friends and brothers still play for the Tigers, which makes the matchup with the team in the 2024 season a special one for him.

“My journey ended up taking me somewhere else, but I loved my time at Clemson. Coach Swinney is an amazing coach. All the guys there were great.”

“Every single staff member there was great, and I loved it. I graduated. My best friends still play there. I still talk to them to this day. Like, my brothers are still on that team. When that time comes, it’ll definitely be different.”

Will DJ Uiagalelei be successful at Florida State?

DJ Uiagalelei will undoubtedly take on huge responsibility next season as he leads Florida State's offense. The Seminoles ended the 2023 regular season undefeated and he has the responsibility to keep up the standard next season.

Considering Uiagalelei’s last tenure in the ACC, there seems to be some chance of him not succeeding in Tallahassee. However, he looks more of a mature quarterback now and is ready to take on the challenge. He notably threw for 2,638 yards and 21 touchdowns last season for the Beavers.