Swinney details extent of DJ Uiagalelei playing through injury

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Clemson freshman quarterback DJ Uiagalelei missed the game at Georgia Tech last month with a shoulder injury -- and Clemson coach Dabo Swinney revealed Monday night that Uiagalelei is still battling that injury.

Uiagalelei has started the last two games in place of Trevor Lawrence, who has been out due to COVID-19 protocol. He was named ACC rookie of the week on each of them with four touchdown passes to no interceptions and nearly 800 yards passing.

The coaches have, however, had to protect the former 5-star prospect in the run game, where a healthy Uiagalelei could've helped seal things late in South Bend.

"The reality is -- he’s not healthy," Swinney said on his call-in show Monday. "We had to protect him the whole night. We had to gut it out on a couple things, when we had to go get it on that fourth-and-one and had to go get it right there to win the game. He hurt his shoulder a couple (weeks ago). That’s what people don’t know. It’s amazing what he’s been able to do throwing the ball. We’ve had to limit him. He's going to be a great runner. He's still got learn the blocks and all those things, but he's going to be a great runner and you saw that the first game we got him in there.

"But we've had to really limit him. But he’s getting better and we’ve got him through it. With what he’s dealt with with his shoulder, we’ve been lucky to have him back and being able to perform the way he was. I'm really, really proud of what he's been able to do these past two weeks. Not healthy, to be quite honest with you, and his ability to go out there and throw the football the way he has -- has been awesome. Hopefully he will be one of the guys these next two weeks we can get back 100 percent as well.

"He was one fall on it the wrong way -- one shot to being out. It was some challenges these last few weeks for sure with how we had to call it. It is what it is. He gave us the best chance to win and he did a great job."

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