Star Clemson linebacker Barrett Carter has kept in touch with DJ Uiagalelei since the latter transferred away from the Tigers’ program following the 2022 season.
“Not really much smack talk going on – just catching up, nothing too crazy,” Carter said Thursday at the 2024 ACC Football Kickoff in Charlotte.
But will there be some smack talk between the two across the line of scrimmage when Carter and Clemson square off against Uiagalelei and Florida State this fall?
“Maybe a little bit,” Carter said, smiling.
Of course, Uiagalelei will be Florida State’s starting quarterback in 2024 after transferring to Tallahassee this offseason following one season at Oregon State in 2023 and three years at Clemson from 2020-22.
Carter is taking things one game at a time, and right now, he’s focused on Clemson’s Aug. 31 season opener against Georgia.
However, he’ll certainly be amped up to play against Uiagalelei when the Tigers travel to take on the Seminoles at Doak Campbell Stadium on Oct. 5.
Carter, who is entering his senior season, was teammates with Uiagalelei from 2021-22.
“Definitely gotta take it week by week, so whenever the Florida State week comes up, I’m definitely going to be super excited for that,” Carter said. “But having played with DJ for two years and just getting to compete with him every single day, it was super fun.”
A former five-star prospect, Uiagalelei went 22-6 as a starter during his time with the Tigers. Overall, in 36 career games at Clemson, the California native completed 59.8 percent of his passes for 5,681 yards and 36 touchdowns with 17 interceptions, to go with 913 rushing yards and 15 rushing touchdowns.
Carter has plenty of respect for Uiagalelei and sees success ahead for him as a Seminole.
“He’s a great player, great competitor, and he’s going to do great down there,” said Carter, a 2022 All-American and 2023 All-ACC selection. “But I’m definitely looking forward to that game, playing in Tallahassee and just competing with my brother again. But definitely looking forward to playing against DJ and seeing what they’re about.”
Uiagalelei thrived in a couple of spot starts for Clemson as a true freshman in 2020, but unfortunately, things didn’t quite pan out for him with the Tigers over the next two seasons. He struggled in his first full season as the starting quarterback in 2021 before having an up-and-down 2022 campaign that saw him ultimately lose the starting job to Cade Klubnik in the ACC Championship Game before he transferred to Oregon State.
Uiagalelei is coming off a successful season with the Beavers last year, when he completed 57.1 percent of his passes for 2,638 yards and 21 touchdowns with seven interceptions. The 6-foot-4, 255-pounder also had 219 rushing yards and six more scores on the ground.
–Photo courtesy Nell Redmond/ACC
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