CLEMSON -- Will Swinney had a front-row seat to DJ Uiagalelei's jolting 2021 struggles.

As Uiagalelei regressed from Dr. Pepper celebrity and Heisman candidate to an unlikely candidate to complete a forward pass, Dabo Swinney's oldest son was right there in his final season as a receiver and holder for field goals and extra points.

So in 2022, Swinney's first year in the real world and his first watching from the stands, he marinated in the joy that came with Uiagalelei's seven-game revival and then agonized in the decline that followed.

Like many people currently and formerly inside Clemson's program, Will has a deep love and appreciation for Uiagalelei and his time here.

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But also a sharp sense of renewal and refreshment at what the new QB1 brings to the position, the offense, the entire team.

On a recent appearance with The Clemson Dubcast, Swinney said he was right there with everyone else who felt the instant lift Cade Klubnik delivered in the recent ACC Championship demolition of North Carolina.

And his identification of the biggest difference Klubnik brought hits on a key element moving forward: