FSU football: 6 reasons DJ Uiagalelei could silence critics in 2024

FSU football coaches knew they needed a proven and experienced quarterback from the transfer portal to lead their 2024 team. They had a freshman (Brock Glenn) with two starts under his belt and a guy (Luke Kromenhoek) who enrolled this spring as the only scholarship quarterback on the roster. However, it had to be the right fit. A guy with only one year of eligibility left, but someone with enough credibility that current players on the team would respect. It just so happened there was a guy who fit the bill dying to come to play at Florida State, DJ Uiagalelei. After flirting with Cam Ward, the Noles brought in Uiagalelei, a guy who's won a ton of games and an ACC Championship while at Clemson.

Some FSU fans wanted Ward, who had the flasher stats but has never won anything in his career. He was also turnover-prone and took a ton of sacks. Uiagalelei came with his baggage, mostly a low completion percentage historically and the reputation Clemson would rather have Cade Klubnik as their starter. However, Uiagalelei hit the transfer portal and went to Oregon State to lead an offense that was better than Clemson's in 2023, with Klubnik as the QB. In this piece, I'll debunk some of the narratives surrounding Uiagalelei and explain why he has the potential to blow away all expectations in 2024 under Mike Norvell.