After an impressive career at First Baptist Church School (Charleston, S.C.), class of 2019 running back Mikey Dukes is taking his talents to Clemson University this coming summer.
It’s been a great journey for Dukes, and the commitment party in his high school gym on Saturday was an ode to all of the people that helped him get to where he is today. His head coach, Johnny Waters, and his mother are a testament to the way he has developed into a player that fits the Clemson model Dabo Swinney has established in Death Valley over the past decade.
Waters, who coached Dukes since he was in the eighth grade, has seen all of the work and development he put into his game. And it looks as if he has just scratched the surface of his potential.
“He’s one of the best players and kids I’ve coached and now he’s going to the greatest program there is right now, so it all fits,” Waters said. “I’ve seen him grow so much, it’s just been a blessing for me to be a part of it. He has a lot more growth in him and his upside and potential is unbelievable.”
Waters believes Clemson’s family atmosphere was the clincher in his decision and sees a lot of parallels between his current and future environments.
“I think it’s the same thing that First Baptist has, which is a close-knit family atmosphere,” he said. “He’s just going from a little family here to a big family at Clemson. I think it’s that atmosphere that he liked most.”
One area he believes Dukes can surprise people with is his catching ability out of the backfield.
“A lot of people don’t realize how good his hands are,” Waters said. “He has some of the best hands I’ve ever seen.”
Some questioned whether Dukes would share his athletic talents with Brad Brownell and Clemson’s basketball team, but Waters said it’s likely he sticks to intramural ball.
“He’ll get on one of those intramural basketball teams with Tee Higgins, but he’s a football guy,” he said.
“He’s got a great base with the First Baptist education,” Waters added. “He’s a great teammate because he treats everybody the same. He never thinks that he’s above anybody and as a player I think he’s gonna mesh right in. This kid is special and he has plenty of room to grow. Clemson fans are going to enjoy him.”
While Waters has seen Dukes grow over the past five years, no one has a closer bond with him than his mother and father. Seeing her child patiently go through the process and seeing his dream come true was an amazing experience for his mom.
“It’s awesome,” she said. “It’s been a long time coming and he has been very patient throughout the process. He’s been camping at Clemson since eighth grade so it just felt like home for him. We’re all in.”
Mrs. Dukes loves the atmosphere and culture that Swinney has instilled at Clemson and told The Clemson Insider it’s great to know he will be in such great hands.
“One of the reasons we choose Clemson is because it’s not just about football,” she said. “Dabo and the coaches are there to develop his players into well-rounded young men.”
You better believe Dukes’ family and coach will be taking many trips up to Death Valley over the next several years to cheer him on as he continues his journey.
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