Clemson Media Kickoff: Matt Luke

QB competition we putting in the game um and you know guys that have had had some experience so that's a good thing anticipated a pretty good competition absolutely you Ryan Lum left the spring as the starter uh but but uh having um you know getting Walker Parks back in Fall Camp we'll 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 it's been quite a quite a 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 an endo you know but not anything in the team reps 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 along having a guy like that and his his mentality and his toughness really really helps so having him back out there for 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 in talked a lot last season about Coach Riley coming in his first season his offensive coordinator and 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 or 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 cross 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 and 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 the how's that transition getting to know the awes awesome yeah you know I think one of the best decisions was coming in that bowl game cu the 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 have to be in there making adjustments that's how you get to know people and 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 um you know the bowl game was tough just cuz you're learning on the Fly you're you know you had really a week to get ready to go but but I do think it paid dividends in the spring have it already built the base of a relationship with the guys last year they did some mixing and matching on the left side with Tristan and Colin uh how long did it take I guess during the Spring for solidified in your mind that okay Tristan's my guy tackle and Colin 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 the bowl game but he's also a good enough athlete to go out there and played games on the Edge at 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 is critical I guess in the spring the guys No chip jump were talking about your Walt Disney quote like no chip jump where did you learn that and kind of like how do you reinforce that yeah so so uh David cck told me that story a long long time ago and it was just always a vivid uh picture about everybody doing their part 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 Vivid picture uh of what it's supposed to look like and and and I just I want to have offensive line and they walk out 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 do and because to finish a play requires Z to go out there there and play as hard as you can and say man the Clemson o line plays hard that that requires zero and that's what I want our guys to play that 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 stopped and all the whole line comes and pushes the B and then everybody starts cheering that to me is what is what it's all about that's what playing offensive line gu how much did you yourself coach last season whole season go back and watch all the games I had to do that try to learn the off and what were some of the things you noticed from the offive you feel like there are points that really happen to take well I you know I I I didn't really I was watching it to learn offense um you know I was using the spring to to try to Mo and create and really create confidence and a little bit of a Swagger and an edge that you have to have to play at P of level and so that that was my biggest is to instill confidence in these guys say look you're going against a defense that's really really do if you can if you can do this against them you can do this against so that was really my my main mindset was creating a a standard effort and toughness and then creating that confidence to say okay hey we can do this let's go do this so that that was really my mind 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 I'm back to do I I like doing this part of things I like because a head coach situation is completely different right have you gotten yourself back in motive like I like this part and this is what well 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 do like that's what that's the part I en enjoy the locker room yesterday was first day back in office to come with staff that's that's the part that I really miss and that's the part that you love that's that's what colge football is and 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 the culture but it's real and it's it's fun to be thought your friend of a friend from Mississippi told me that they couldn't believe that uh that you were that you took this job that you went back into the coaching and said no way you'll go back to position coaching um can you just take us back to you know that time when coach swinny you know what what what started that itch for you and and when coach swiy 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 um this thing going you know back cuz they they've been really good I think they they 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 can help get them you know a little bit better here are some of the younger guys that people might not be talking about right now that have stood out and could factor in for play 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 a playing time because of injuries so I think those guys having that experience Help U but but some of the Freshman coming in like people haven't talked about detri Reed I mean dietro peniton and Ian Reed like that those guys um I think will have a chance 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 lbs right now and he looks great super athlete uh 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 just a name did you see Pennington making some progress during the yeah I think I think Dietrich 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 fat 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 a sustained period of time and uh I think he could really help us if he does that you might have been asked us already how's Parks doing in his recovery yeah he's he's doing good I you know that that one's 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 more familiar week one opponent um Georgia Tech what's the play Georgia G relationship with Kirby all those you know relationship is good it's just obviously is 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 and you know what it's going to take and uh 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 yeah how would you describe your coaching style let's say somebody isn't too familiar how would you describe your coaching style makes me differ yeah you know I uh I'm a people 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 energy they see enthusiasm they see uh they see somebody that loves that loves coaching and loves being around the guy culture before and how you know there's a lot of phrases 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 I'm and and being here uh I would say 100% real and authentic and uh not being scared to do it the way that that you've done it and and and have that sust 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 wanted to be as Garrett was talking about you know Offensive Line for the offensive line there were some just mistakes like big BL 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 yeah I think that's I think there's different reasons that things happen you know on every different play you know you got five or 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 that we know exactly what we're supposed to be doing and do it really really hard and really really that's that's what that will be the do you think though having guys who have played Absol I think experience helps you um uh with just knowing what to do helps you do the little things better you can finish better 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 and evala at Tristan last season what what what you what 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 where he can finish and uh and play cuz he had to play a bunch of snaps 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 um 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's just like that I mean yeah he's he's right he's writing notes he's engaged and uh 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 and 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 guard has been really really good for us especially in the spring you could really notice a difference with him in there what does he still to learn in Center Competition terms of Center positional yeah just just just getting the RS uh you know he 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 competition sorry uh yeah I mean you know it's close I mean I mean I think uh you know we'll know probably second scrimmage going into Ball 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 for competition and Trent Howard would be be getting 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 some all those guys that played before helped Ryan really hadn't played much has much at all what did you see of him during the Spring and sort of um 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 it's something that you have to earn and uh and again I always go back to who you practice against matters and uh 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 so that gives that gives Biggest Challenge you confidence as well for you what's been the biggest challenge getting up speed and going this season because 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 hearts of minds of your players and knowing your players because my job is to motivate them and get those guys ready to play 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 name 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 because having been a head coach other ways other things that you learned in terms of how you can better help an assistant or coordinator being in this position that you learned being I just think just 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 those areas there's only three active head coaches who' 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 Sim similarities maybe they probably don't get seen outside I would 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 um pressure to do things a certain way I think both of them um stick to who they are and I think that's a I think that's a credit to both of those guys but 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 um kind of over you know 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 you know coach cutliff or coach freeze or coach Fulmer 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 of f year out I will uh Flash Forward to week one um again having been there and seen 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 yeah I mean I think it's 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 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 the right way you're right you said something just a minute ago about doesn't makeer break Playoff the season in the past you know 14 playoff versus 12 playoff obviously you it would have been a lot more emphasis so does the approach change at all with the 12 team playoff uh coming this year in 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 leag 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 you're in and I think that's I think that's been the kind of the mantras 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 a that's a big thing I'm sure you've answer a lot of questions about them but when you're talking to a few centers that are battling 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 center uh I mean they they they already know think when when guys are sitting in the room they're all watching take they know who's getting their job done and who's not like that's what I mean it's all on tap 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 mean whoever performs the best the best guy you mentioned him a couple of times already but what has David Davidcliffe Cliff meant to you in your career and you as a person uh I mean he's the he's the guy that got me into coaching that taught me into to being a coach uh and he's the for all this 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 U 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 that's how I was molded that's how I was shaped but he's just a tremendous man tremendous coach and I learned a lot from him people talk about again going back to the chip pain Energy thing hav talk about your energy on like where did that like your 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 um that practice field and all like you practice this game way more than you play and uh to try to take advantage of 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 to be out there to try to provide that energy and that smar I think it's really important what have you seen what that BR man you know Colin um I recruited him a little bit out of high school and but his athleticism I I've 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 toughest 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 M position I think the guys were also Emotional talking about after the bowl game like you were actually crying you know with your wife you were very emotional after the game I was had such an emotional yeah 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 so but I'm an emotional person 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 have your takeaways been on Elijah Thurman so far a athleticism he's really done a good job of changing his body he's probably gone from three that 295 300 to maybe 310 315 like kind of fluctuated between there so he's done a good job changing his body I like what he just going back to the B game like what was that like that being your first game back back and forth that 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 gained from being in a situation like that in the Tren with guys I think it really was a benefit going into the 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 PID dividends going into the spring sorry with all the changes we've seen on the Trail yeah how easy was it for you to slide back in there after being away for a couple years yeah you know I you know you know there's a lot of things going on in recruiting but you you it still goes back to relationships most of the time and you just so just trying to create those relationships and build those relationships 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 relationships you you if I read Why come back correctly your your time away it's not exactly a Time poorly spent you were enjoying life for the most part 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 known is uh they're coaches kids you know my my wife and I have kind of been through this uh roller coaster of 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 uh you know coming 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 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 town to uh well truthly know I me this was something that uh you know we were we were we were looking at and just you know praying hard about the right opportunity and 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've been fortunate in my career to be in some really good places and uh just excited to be a part of it here