Miller loves the energy Matt Luke brings to the offensive line

Luke coaches the offensive line during Thursday's practice (Photo by Merrell Mann).

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Sun Dec 17 07:00:06 GMT-04:00 2023

CLEMSON – The technique will come later, but new offensive line coach Matt Luke wants his group to focus on playing with great energy. And Luke is leading the way.

Head coach Dabo Swinney and the Clemson program parted ways with offensive line coach Thomas Austin at the end of the regular season, and it didn’t take Swinney long to make a call to Luke. Luke stepped away from the game after the 2021 season – where he coached Georgia’s offensive line – to spend time with family.

However, Luke and his family decided to return to the game, and Clemson was the perfect landing spot for that return. Luke has drawn rave reviews during the first part of bowl practice, including from two-year starting right tackle Blake Miller.

“He’s a very high-energy guy. I think he really brings the energy to practice," Miller said. “It’s infectious with everyone. I think everyone’s flying around and doing great out there. There’s some new technique to learn but I think everyone he’s told he wants us to go 100%. We can work on the technique after and we can go over it in film. I really enjoy it.”

Miller said he can’t wait to learn from Luke, but he also learns from the other assistants as well.

“I’d say just everyone in the OL field, whether it be trainers or coaches, has different things that they harp on. I think just picking up as many different seeds from as many different coaches as you can,” he said. “Just picking what you like and don’t like. Obviously, he’s my coach, I’m going to do whatever he tells me. But, picking up the things that you like and using them to your advantage later.”

Miller had only played for Austin but said he has no issue giving his all for the new guy.

“Obviously, there's nothing I could do about it,” Miller said. “All I can do is give him my all every day and do the best that I can. Try and be the best player that I can. It’s a business at the end of the day, and whatever Coach Swinney does, I’m going to roll with it.”

Next up for the Tigers is a trip to Jacksonville for the Gator Bowl against Kentucky. The Wildcats and Tigers will kick it off at noon on ESPN on December 29th, and Clemson returned to the practice field last weekend to prepare for the game.

The offensive line played better over the last four games of the regular season as the Tigers won four in a row, and Miller said the entire group wants to make a statement against the Wildcats.

“We want to make a statement. We want to show that we’re a physical o-line,” Miller said. “Coach Swinney was just saying after practice that these bowl games are won in the trenches. We definitely want to win this game in the trenches. We want to show that we’re physically dominant. Really show what we can do.”