In an interview on July 16, Clemson Tigers offensive line coach Matt Luke addressed reporters about the depth of his offensive line and his strategy as a coach with more than 20 years of experience at the college level.
Luke began his media session by discussing the offensive line unit shortly before fall camp begins. He emphasized that the line has great size, they are all in shape, and most importantly for Tigers fans, the veteran offensive line is injury-free.
The Tigers new offensive line coach was also asked about the depth of his line. He believes there are about eight players he is comfortable having on the field.
For Clemson fans, this is great news. Having a healthy starting five with three players providing valuable depth sets up the Tigers offense for a great year.
Luke explained that one of the keys to his coaching is understanding that each player is coachable in different ways. He learns how his players respond to coaching and uses that knowledge to get the best out of them.
He is thankful he had the opportunity to coach the Tigers offensive line in the bowl game because it allowed him to see how the unit played together, and he believes it is the best way to get to know his players.
Regarding his players, Luke had high praise for sophomore Collin Sadler. He believes Sadler is the best athlete on the entire offensive line and thinks he can play every position except center. A player like Sadler gives Luke a lot of flexibility, knowing he has someone who can contribute in various areas.
When asked about the young talent on the offensive line, he mentioned sophomore Collin Sadler again, and sophomore Harris Sewell as players with great potential to contribute this season. For freshmen, Luke mentioned Ian Reed and Dietrick Pennington as players who will have the chance to compete for playing time.
Reflecting on his time as the interim head coach for Ole Miss in 2017, Luke explained how his true joy comes from being the offensive line coach. He loves building relationships and "taking a young man to somewhere he didn't even know he could go."
Luke emphasized the culture of Clemson and how everyone wants to be part of a program like it. He turned down multiple offers from other teams, but when Dabo Swinney called, he was instantly excited and knew Clemson was the right place to be.
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