coach how's the offensive line looking at this point in the summer uh you know good I think uh you know they're coming off of uh coming off Spring and now we call this the transformational faith they're running lifting uh changing their bodies and uh but so far everything's been really good U they had a great first you know first session of Summer and now after July 4th kind of second and second summer then kind of ramping up into fall camp but uh just kind of really pleased with they are Body Weight Wise uh they all came back in shape after the Fourth of July so that's excited and U sh got got some got some competitions at some spots which is good got some guys that are coming back off of injuries which is good some older guys that have played and are back off injury so good to have those guys back and just being leaders uh there there's some player only practices where we can't be out there but it's good to have some experience to help out those younger guys in terms of depth what number do you want to get at in terms of guys you could roll in yeah 15 I that's that's what I want uh but we know we have a lot of guys that have played so I'd say you know comfortably uh seven or eight guys I feel like comfortable putting in the game um and you know guys that have had had some experience so that's a good thing you anticipate a pretty good competition in Center absolutely you Ryan Lum left the spring as the starter uh but but uh having U you know getting Walker Parks back in Fall Camp will free up Harris and Trent to both kind of push there I'd say you know Harris is is is trying to push for that push for that spot but I think uh competition will make them both better and then you know anytime you're going into a first game like we are I think practicing against the defense that we practice against really helps you and gives you confidence going in knowing hey okay if we can go out there in the scrimmage and hold up we can really have real confidence not fake confidence but real confidence going into that first game can you give us an update on Walker and just sort of his road has been quite a yeah and and that that that one's tough on me cuz I I didn't get to coach him in the bowl game uh and then and then he didn't he was out there a little bit in Endo you know but not anything in the team Rifts but uh his his weight is back he's back over 300 pounds he looks really good he's able to do all the running and he's been been full speed and all the weightlifting so uh I think just having his experience and his toughness but even when he wasn't in there he was back behind me coaching and talking to the younger players and just you know being around while having a guy like that and his his mentality and his toughness really really helps so having him back out there fall Camp will be uh uh it will be good but we we'll actually see where we are probably you know seven or eight practices talked a lot last season about Co Raley coming in his first season as offensive coordinator and the whole you know offense having to learn a new system um you know just the the the language and everything that goes with that for a coach like you though a position coach what's that like for you yeah it it's it's uh it's semantics it's learning the language because uh all these schemes at one point another I've run before you know it's just it's it's learning the terminology and uh and and the best way to get it across learning the personalities of your players you you know you can't treat every player the same you have to learn what makes each one of those guys tick and figure out how to press that button that motivate those guys so I think that's it's more about learning the the personalities of the players than learning the language and being able to articulate awesome awesome yeah the you know I think one of the best decisions was coming in that bowl game because the best way to get to know somebody is to get thrown in a tough situation to get thrown into the fire have to coach them have to be in there making adjustments that's how you get to know people I think um having that really helped going into the spring because you already had a little bit of a base as opposed to just coming in right before the spring so I think uh you know the bowl game was tough just because you're learning on the Fly you're you know you have really a week to get ready to go but but I do think it paay dividends in the spring have it already built the base of a relationship with the guys they did some mix matching on the left side trist and I guessing the spring before it solidifi your mind okay tr's my guy yeah I I think I think Colin Colin is unique because he's such a good athlete uh he he he he he is probably the best athlete of everybody on the line he can do so many different things um you know probably besides Center he can play every position so it gives it gives me some flexibility to play him in a lot of different spots he started guard at the bowl game but he's also a good enough athlete to go out there and played games on the Edge at tackle so uh you know injuries are a part of the game they're going to happen so to have guys that can play multiple positions I think it's crial I guess in the spring the guys were talking about your Walt Disney quote like no chimp jump where did you learn that and kind of like how do you reinforce that yeah so so uh David cutliff uh told me that story a long long time ago and it was just always a vivid uh picture to me about everybody doing their part and if everybody if you don't have any chip paint everybody's playing hard uh everybody all the horses are jumping like to me it's a very F picture uh of what it's supposed to look like and and and I just I want to have offensive line when they walk out there and and everybody watches us play that that they're finishing the way they're supposed to finish that they're playing a certain way this game is meant to be played a certain way and I want to see our guys doing that and uh because to to finish a play requires zero Downs to go out there and play as hard as you can and say man the Clemson o line plays hard like that that requires zero effort and that's what I want our guys to play that way because I think you can ignite the whole sideline uh you can ignite the whole the whole stadium you know when the when the pile kind of is stopped and all the whole line comes and pushes the pile and then everybody starts cheering that that to me is what is what it's all about that's what playing offensive lines about guess how much did you yourself think coach last season season go back and watch all the games from last year and and what I had to do that try to learn the offense and what for some of the things you noticed from the offensive line that you feel like are points that really have to improve to take well I you know I I didn't I didn't really I I was watching get turned Lear the offense um you know I was using the spring to to try to mold and create and really create confidence and a little bit of a Swagger and an edge that that you have to have to play uh at this level and so that that was my biggest is is to instill confidence in these guys say look you're going against a defense that's really really good and if you can if you can do this against them you can do this against anybody so that was really my my main mindset was creating a a standard of effort and toughness and then creating that confidence to say okay hey we can do this let's go do it and so that that was really my mindset coming into this work you kind of you kind of parachuted in here in early December were thrown into what's going on now these few months do you feel like hey you know I'm back to I like doing this part of things I like because a head coach situation is completely different corre right have you gotten yourself back in mode of like I like this part and this is why and that well that that's why that's why I'm here because I do I do like this like I love the relationships I love building I love being in that old line room uh with those with the relationships and just the building and help taking a a young man where he doesn't even think he can go like that's what that's the part I enjoy I enjoy the locker room the yesterday was the first day back in the office the camarad with the staff that's that's the part that I really miss and that's the part that you love that's then that's that's what college football is and and just to be part of of this Clemson culture like everybody talks about they have all these key words and phrases about Clemson and the culture but it's real and it's it's fun to be a part of Co a friend of a friend from Mississippi told me that they couldn't believe that that you were that you took this job that you went back into the coaching and said no way he'll go back to position coaching um can you just take us back to you know that time when push snny you know what what what started that itch for you and and when push snny contacted you like what what went into that yeah I mean just uh you know be it out I think uh you get you get a couple calls and you're like no I don't want to do this no but there was something when when dbo called me I was there was a pause and I was like you know what that's a if I'm going to do it that's the place I want to do it and uh I'm just I'm excited I just I enjoy being a part of this culture and I and I just really want to help get U this thing going you know back because they they've been really good I think that that people paint the narrative oh they haven't they've been really really good there's been a long sustained period of success but I just want to kind of come in and try to try to provide maybe that little 1% that could help get them you know a little bit better who are some of the younger guys that people might not be talking about right now that have stood out and could factor in for playing time yeah so I think I think uh you know people you know Colin and Harris are both really young but they they got thrust into some playing time because of injury so I think those guys having that experience will help uh but but some of the Freshman coming in like people haven't talked about dietr Reed I mean dietr Pennington and Ian Reed like that those guys um I think will have a chance to to to compete for some playing time and then uh Watson young was coming off a knee injury he's had a great summer he looks great right now he's running so he'll be full speed when it comes Mason Wade uh he he had a good spring and Elijah Thurman is like 315 pounds right now and he looks great super athlete saw him dunk a basketball I was like yep we need to take that guy uh so just a just a super super athlete so I think some of those young guys those those just a name few got a familiar yeah I think I think dietr just getting his body weight right and getting to where he can play hard all the time I don't think uh the athleticism he's like 340 something pounds at 24% body F so he's really uh a specimen but just trying to get his his body U to a point where he can play hard for sustain period of time and uh I think he can really help us if he does you might have been asked us already how's par doing in his recovery yeah he's he's doing good I you know that that was was a tough one for me just cuz I didn't I didn't get him uh in the bowl game or spring practice but uh right now he looks as good as he's looked since I've been here he's full speed running full speed in the weight room so like I I told somebody earlier that probably you know five or six practices in to fall Camp you'll you'll really know a lot got a familiar week one opponent um what's it going to be like playing Georgia again how's your relationship with Kirby and all those guys you know relationship is good it's just obviously it's about the players on the field against a really really good opponent I think the positive is I think the motivation to prepare all summer when you know you have an opponent like that I think is uh I think is good so it helps you prepare with that edge and you know what it's going to take and and I think I think you know playing a opponent like that you find out a lot about your football team early uh and and how it's going to look how would you describe your coaching style let's say somebody that isn't too familiar how would you describe your coaching Style mix with your personality yeah you know I uh I'm a fee person I enjoy I enjoy that part but I would say passion energy um that that's that's uh to me I can't ask those guys to bring it unless I bring it so hopefully when people see me on the field they see they see eny they see enthusiasm they see they see somebody that loves that loves coaching and loves being around the guys you mentioned Theon culture before and how you know there's a lot of phrases right you and everything what is the phrase that might have resonated with you the most that you think is the most true I would say real I would say that from the outside looking in you're like man is that really real is you know can they really do that and I'm and and being here uh I would say 100% real and off authentic and uh not being scared to do it the way that that you've done it and and and have that sustained period of success like it's unbelievable what what davo has accomplished and I'm just I'm excited to be a part of it and trying to get it back to where we all want it to be as Garrett was talking about you know for the offensive line there were some just mistakes like big one plays in terms of like pass protection or just not quite being in the right spot is that generally do you think an experience issue is it not knowing the offense is it I think that's I think there's different reasons that things happen you know on every different flate you know you got five coaching Five Guys one of them you know there's no telling what would happen on that particular play so it's hard to speak to why things happen all we can do moving forward is trying to just make sure that we're dialed in we know exactly what we're supposed to be doing and do it really really hard and really really well so that that's that's what that will be down think having guys absolutely I think experience helps you um uh with just knowing what to do helps you do the little things better you can finish better your Technique can be better if you're not there sitting there thinking about okay what do I have to do and I think experience definitely helps when you went back in eval trist last season you see I see uh I I love his Link and he's very uh he's very driven he wants to be good he's a competitor um I just want I wanted to see him get a little bit stronger in his lower body body where he can finish and uh and play he had to play a bunch of snap last year and I think just just working on his body getting his body right and he looks great right now uh but I've been very impressed with his uh with his demeanor in the meetings and how he carries himself even an individual like he wants to be really really good he wants to be coached and uh when when you talk in a meeting he's got his notebook out he's taking notes he looks just just like that I mean yeah he's he's right he's writing notes he's engaged and I've been very very impressed with him on the field but also off the field how about Marcus Tate Marcus Tate was I mean it was awesome to have him back so we didn't have him in the bowl game he came back in the spring and uh you know so just with his size and there at guard and and the fact that he's played tackle gives you some flexibility as well but his sides in their guards been really really good for us especially in the spring you could really notice a difference what does he still Le in terms of Center position just just just getting the Reps uh you know he's very intelligent he's capable he's capable of doing it just but but the ability to put your hand on that ball to snap it and block a really good player to get to be the quarterback of the o line and get everybody on the same page like there's a lot to it I mean that that Center position is uh is very very important uh he he can do it but I just think getting the Reps and stacking those reps will help how close is that uh yeah I mean you know it's close I mean I think uh you know we'll know probably second scrimmage going into fall Camp you know second scrimmage and we're going to give everybody opportunities but I I believe that competition will end up making both of those guys better and they'll push each other to be better but like I said Ryan left the spring as the starter and uh and and Harris will push from competition and Trent Howard will be get some snaps as well you can never have enough centers and how injuries occur you may have to move some guys around inside so I think having that flexibility with all those guys that played before Ryan really played much has played much at all what did you see him uh I mean obviously he's hungry and has kind of waited his turn and and and he he now knows this is his opportunity so uh I think knowing guys are pushing for playing time it helps you keep that edge it's not something that's just handed to you is something that you have to earn and uh and again I always go back to who you practice against matters and you know it's not like you're you're out there doing it against an average defense you're doing it against really really good player so I think that uh that gives that gives you conf for you what's been the biggest challenge getting up speed and going this season it's a new system for you yeah I mean I I think the the biggest thing for me it's always about uh being able to capture the hor of minds of your players and knowing your players because my job is to motivate them and get those guys ready to play and and um it's I have two kids at home they're both totally different and you can't treat them the same like you have to know the the personalities of your players to be able to push them to get them to go where you want to go so that's that's been the biggest challenge for me is hey is learning each player and not not not just knowing their names not but knowing what makes a tick learning their why learning their families where they come from like what's what's in here and when you learn that to me you become a better Coach gu how you been a head coach of their way what are things that you learned in terms of how you better help assist coordinator being this position yeah I just think this the overall experience helps you were talking about experience with players it's the same thing with coaches when you when you go through certain things you learn what to do what not to do um you you learn you learn things about uh how to manage a room how to manage people how to help keep things off the head coach's desk how to help the coordinator um you know so there there's U obviously the experience does help in a lot of there's only three active head coaches who've won a national championship the two of them are the last two guys you've worked for do you see a lot of differences or more some similarities maybe probably don't get seen I would say the uh they they both do a good job at being who they are and I think that's a hard thing to do in this climate where there's so much uh pressure to do things a certain way I think both of them um stick to who they are and I think that's I think that's a credit to both of those guys was there I don't know any sort of culture shock going from having been in Kirby's locker room to to this one no I think all that kind of gets U kind of over talked about I think uh you know when when you when you come in everybody's trying to get the same thing accomplished you're just doing it in your own personality and I think anytime you're a coach you always try to take the best of who you're around and bring it with you and sometimes you learn the best things to do and sometimes you learn the best things not to do uh but but that that goes all the way back to you know coach cut coach freze or coach former or or coach you know who who whoever you're whoever you're working with you always try to to try to take the best things that around I will uh Flash Forward to week one um again having been there and seeing those guys and how that program runs how much of a challenge is that and do you use that as sort of a motivational tactic I mean I think it's a it's obviously a huge Challenge and they're really really uh you know they're a great football team and I think for us to play them on week one will tell us a lot about where we are uh at that point I don't think it makes or breaks your season either way but I think it tells you a lot about where you are and then I think it also um I think it also helps you stay motivated throughout the summer and helps you you know all those things I think uh I think are really really important but it it just I think it's good for college football I think it's you know it's great for both fan bases close together and uh just I think it'll be a great football game week one and kind of Kick the thing off the right way you're right you said something just a minute AG go about that make break the season in the past you know 14 playoff versus 12 playoff you we could have been a lot more emphasis so does the approach change at all with the 12 team playoff uh coming this year and the expansion you know I think uh no I think whether it's four teams or 12 teams like you still got to go do your job and be a championship caliber football team and I and I think it you know the it runs through your league if you win your league you're in so I think that's that's where it starts you got to go you got you win your league and I think that's I think that's been the kind of the Mantra is you need to win your league wherever you are SEC ACC doesn't matter you win your league you're in and I think that's uh that's a big thing I'm sure you've answered a lot of questions about them but when you're talking to the few centers that are battling it out what are what are the big things that you're talking to them like here's what you need to do if you want to be the starting uh I mean they they they already know that when when guys are sitting in the room they're all watching tape they know who's getting their job done or who's not like that's what I mean it's all on tape it's not my decision it's it's your decision on how you practice and how you play because it's right there on table and uh that that's my job as the old line coach is to be honest with those guys and to point it out hey look this is it like the best guy is going to play it's not some big secret or hey I like this guy better it means whoever performs the best you mentioned him a couple of times already what has David cuckle meant to you in your career and you as a person uh that's I mean he's the he's the guy that got me into coaching that taught me into to being a coach U and exactly it's his fault uh but just he's a tremendous person he's a tremendous mentor and uh somebody I uh I've always looked up to and uh he's uh when you stand in front of your own team um and you hear certain things coming out of your mouth you know like you're like okay that's how I was molded that's how I was shaped but he's uh just a tremendous man tremendous coach and I learned a lot from him talk about again going back to chain talk about your energy like did like I I you know that's just who that's just who I am and that's what uh that that's what I enjoy doing and uh so you know it's easy to have passion when you love love what you're doing and uh that that that part being out on the field at practice with the guys that's that's where you really get there and that's uh that practice field and all like you practice this game way more than you play and uh to try to take advantage each and every day out there with those guys and push those guys to be better you want you want the games to be easier in the practice and so to be out there to try to provide that energy and that spark I think it's really important you know man you know Colin uh I recruited him a little bit out of high school and but his athleticism I said this earlier like he's probably the best athlete of all the guys up there and uh just his ability to play on the edge but also have the uh the toughness and the size to also play inside I think it just gives you a lot of flexibility cuz like you know you know offensive line football is a game that injuries are going to occur so to have a guy that can play multiple positions really helps you I think the guys were also talking about after the B game like you were actually crying you with your wife very emotional after the game why was that yeah I mean shoot anytime you're out you know and you come back I mean that was a big decision and uh it was a family decision um so but I I'm an emotional person you probably figure that out by now like that's my that's my biggest strength but maybe my biggest weakness sometimes I'm very I'm an emotional person and uh I wear my feelings on my sleeve and that's that's who I am so but I also think that uh the players respond to that and they and I think people like it when you're genuine and you are who you are you don't try to hide things or be fake you just you just are who you are that's uh that's what I've always tried to be what your takeways been on Elijah th so far a athleticism he's really done a good job of changing his body he's probably gone from three that 295 300 maybe 310 35ish like kind of fluctuating there so he's done a good job changing his body so I like where he's head back to the game what was that like that being your first game back back for game yeah I uh yeah I mean I I like that we won that was just a different experience but I think the uh what you uh what you gain from being in a situation like that in the trenches with your guys I think it really was a benefit going into this uh you know it wasn't always pretty it didn't look the way you wanted to look all the time but I think the benefit of being out there with the guys really paid dividends going into the spr so all the changes how easy it back yeah you know I you know there's a lot of things going on in recruiting but it still goes back to relationships most of the time and you just so just trying to create those relationships and build those relationship with the families and the kids that's the part I enjoy about recruiting just meeting people and and and talking to people and building those relationship you you if I read correctly your time away it's not exactly time poorly spent you were enjoying life for the most part and you you hear a lot from coaches these days about it's not a pleasant time necessarily to be coaches with all that's going on what made you want to come back like I mean again when you got coaches kind of looking for ways to get out right well I mean I just you know you know that time with my family was was awesome uh and but that that's all they've ever know is uh their coaches kids you know my my wife and I have kind of been through this uh roller coaster of college football together and we just we we just all you know we came together and we felt like this was a great opportunity and and where where you're doing it at matters and you know comeing have a place be able to get back into it at a place like Clemson for me was really special and uh everybody here has been awesome uh just not only with me but with with Ashley and Harrison and Cooper they've uh it's been really good last question so what was the selling point to bring you back for you to get up off the couch and get back uh well truth be know I this is something that uh you know we were we were we were looking at and just you know praying hard about the right opportunity and the right opportunity came somewhere where I felt like U you know we're going to be able to you know have a chance to win a National Championship and be around great people and uh I I've been fortunate in my career to be in some really good places and uh just excited to be thanks coach thanks coach appreciate