Clemson offensive tackle Blake Miller met with the media recently and spoke about the upcoming season and the impact of new offensive line coach Matt Luke.
Miller, now entering his third year with the Tigers, has started at right tackle his entire career. Last season, Miller became the fourth Clemson offensive lineman under Dabo Swinney to earn an All-ACC as an underclassman. In addition, he is one of six players on record in Clemson history (Mitch Hyatt, Jay Guillermo, Dalton Freeman, Deshaun Watson and Tajh Boyd) with multiple 950-snap seasons.
His leadership in 2024 will be key and the native of Strongsville, Ohio said the Tigers want their opponents to know they’ve been in a battle. “We want to be those guys that after a team plays us, their guys are hurting,” Miller stated to the media.
Coach Luke was the subject of many questions for the rising junior. Luke joined the Tigers’ staff last December following the firing of former OL coach Thomas Austin. The Clemson team got their first taste of Coach Luke’s style during bowl practices. Miller was asked about the team’s reaction to his coaching style.
“You know, obviously, we all talk in the locker room, and everyone was a big fan,” Miller said of his new position coach. “When you see him coaching hard, then you go harder, and then you see the people next to you going harder as a result of it,” he said.
Coach Luke’s intensity is the thing the 6’6, 310-pounder loves most about him. “It’s a great thing because it just feeds off one another,” he said.
Miller was asked what Coach Luke’s general message is to the offensive line room, and he said it’s firing on all cylinders. Luke told the position group a story about Walt Disney from when he was a child. Walt went to a merry-go-round when he was a kid and saw some of the horses didn’t work and the paint was chipped. Disney then kept a note on his desk until he died that said no chipped paint and all horses jump.
“Coach Luke takes that approach in the OLine,” Miller said, “There’s no chipped paint, all horses are jumping, and everyone’s firing on all cylinders at all times.”
Luke has also gained some momentum on the recruiting trail, as he’s got commitments from two of the top 200 players in the country. Brayden Jacobs, a four-star out of Buford, Georgia, committed to Clemson after junior day in January. And Easton Ware, another four-star prospect, committed to the Tigers in November before he was hired.
Luke has done a good job of maintaining good relationships that were built by the previous staff and the Tigers will continue to press hard for top-rated five-star OTBrayden Jacobs, four-star Ziyare Addison, four-star Mason Short, and four-star Ziyare Addisonamong others.
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