CLEMSON – Discipline is an art that one Clemson safety is taking to the next level in his life for 2023. Andrew Mukuba is entering his third year as a Tiger, and he’s looking at it from a new lens.

Mukuba was a freshman All-American and earned the ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year award in 2021 with 54 tackles and nine pass breakups. Heading into 2022, expectations were high but injuries kept him from being 100% throughout the year. It wasn’t a bad season by any means, but it stuck with Mukuba.

Coming off such a sudden rise as a freshman, Mukuba reflected on it, taking a new approach as a junior.

“I kind of reflect on everything I went through last year, both on and off the field,” Mukuba said, “and I feel like with those experiences I’ve had and going into this year, you know I kind of turned the switch on in my mind and how I do things. It’s time to focus, time to lock in.”

Mukuba says that he’s matured as a man on and off the field. Regarding discipline, he’s thinking about every little decision as it’s something that’s contagious to who he is on the field.

“If I’m disciplined off the field, I feel like that kind of plays into how I’m disciplined on the field, so I just be trying to be disciplined in all areas of my life, making the right decision,” Mukuba said. “Make good decisions and just be positive, be happy, be in the moment like Coach Swinney always says.”

Every practice, Mukuba says he’s much more locked in and looking to maximize who he can be as a junior for the Tigers’ defense and the second year under Wes Goodwin. All the trials and tribulations of last year “made me who I am” according to Mukuba and it’s how he’s molding himself for 2023.

He’s very introspective about the battles of the past and says it’s a challenge he’s taken on personally. Mukuba is ready for the task of his junior year, and his new look on life should reap the rewards on the field for Clemson.

“When everything was going on, I was there with myself,” Mukuba said. “Kind of had that talk with myself…it’s time to get right and get straight because time is going by fast and I gotta focus and do what I need to do and it’s just that.”