Florida State football: DJ Uiagalelei transfer brings “fired-up” Mike Norvell take
Mike Norvell is excited.
The college football transfer portal was busy on New Year’s Day leading up to the College Football Playoff games. Cameron Ward headed for the NFL, KJ Jefferson went to UCF, and DJ Uiagalelei confirmed his choice to go join the Florida State football program.
Uiagalelei transferred from Oregon State and Florida State was always expected to be the top destination for him, so it wasn’t too surprising to see him end up there. After the move was announced, Florida State football head coach Mike Norvell revealed his excitement about bringing Uiagalelei in (h/t Barrett Sallee of CBS Sports).
“I’m excited to have DJ join the Nole Family. He is a proven winner, and his record as a starting quarterback is impressive. He has showcased incredible leadership on the field, and how he treats people off the field is remarkable. DJ is an extremely hard worker who is excited to continue to develop in this system and be around the great playmakers we have here. DJ adds a great deal of experience, talent and play-making ability into a quarterback room that we are extremely excited about as we enter 2024. He has great size and ability, is incredibly accurate pushing the ball down the field and is one of the top quarterbacks in the country in big-play percentage. I am thrilled to be adding this talented football player, dedicated student and wonderful person into our Nole Family.”
DJ Uiagalelei replaces Jordan Travis
Uiagalelei comes into the Florida State football program and will take over for Jordan Travis, who had a fantastic year before suffering a crushing injury that ultimately kept the Seminoles out of the College Football Playoff. It was a controversial topic, but now Norvell and the Seminoles can fill the quarterback position for next season.
Now, Uiagalelei is back in the ACC, where he began his career at Clemson before going to Oregon State for the 2023 campaign. This past season with the Beavers, he threw for 2,638 yards with 21 touchdowns and seven interceptions and another six scores on the ground, so the talent Uiagalelei brings to the Florida State football program should have them as a popular ACC pick in 2024.
What Can Seminole Fans Expect From FSU Football’s Addition Of DJ Uiagalelei?
On Monday, former Clemson and Oregon State quarterback DJ Uiagalelei announced that he would be transferring to Florida State for his final year of eligibility. After spending three years with the Tigers, Uiagalelei guided the Beavers to an 8-4 record with key wins over Utah and UCLA.
Standing at an impressive 6’4” and 250 pounds, the California native was a five-star recruit coming out of high school (St. John Bosco, Bellflower, CA) and a four-star transfer prospect.
Uiagalelei is certainly a threat in the run game as he is willing to lower the shoulder and has the frame to withstand big hits. While he might not have track speed, DJU certainly has shown his agility on designed runs. Through the air, the arm strength is apparent. However, overthrows and miscommunication with receivers have been costly throughout his career. But when given enough time, Uiagalelei can make all the throws.
As a true freshman with the Tigers, DJU came in relief for Trevor Lawrence and defied expectations, going 30-41 for 342 yards and two touchdowns against Boston College. He followed that up with a performance of 29-44 for 439 yards and two touchdowns against Notre Dame in South Bend.
Despite the physical attributes and the promising start, the former Clemson and Oregon State quarterback has struggled at times to hit open targets and keep interceptions at a minimum. In 2021, DJU was 208-374 (55.6%) and threw more picks than touchdowns (9 TDs, 10 INTs).
He showed improvement in 2022, bettering his completion percentage (61.9%) as well as his TD/INT ratio (22/7). However, he was passed on by head coach Dabo Swinney and the Clemson faithful for then-freshman Cade Klubnik.
This past season, Uiagalelei was welcomed to Oregon State by head coach Jonathan Smith. There he found himself as the field general behind an offensive line that was named a semifinalist for the Joe Moore Award (most outstanding offensive line in college football) in 2023. He went 180-315 (57.1%) and had 21 TDs to 7 INTs.
That being said, the key to DJU’s success could be connected to the retention of important offensive line pieces such as Darius Washington, Robert Scott, and Maurice Smith – all seasoned Seminoles.
In 2022, Uiagalelei traveled to Tallahassee and avoided the upset against the Seminoles as he went 15-23 for 203 yards and three touchdowns. FSU fans are quite familiar with his game.
Florida State fans should look for a much different style of quarterbacking in the fall. While DJU might not be able to escape the blitz with grace as Jordan Travis did for years, he’ll be able to put his head down on 3rd and short, take a hit, get a first down, and rub some dirt on it as he gets back up. Additionally, when given time in the pocket, he can be deadly to opposing defenses.
The FSU faithful will be even more familiar with his style of play come late August when the ’Noles take on Georgia Tech in Dublin, Ireland to open the season.
