CLEMSON — Imagine the worst day of your professional career. Now imagine it being played on a video board over and over again.

That is what head coach Dabo Swinney does to help motivate his players during Clemson’s mat drills in the winter, which the Tigers do each year prior to spring practice. Swinney has his video department play all the worst moments from the previous season on a loop.

“Looking up during that helps you push when you are tired and that type of stuff,” Clemson cornerback Jeadyn Lukus said.

The worst moment Lukus got to see on loop was his mistakes in last year’s Wake Forest game. A freshman at the time, he was thrown into the mix that afternoon following several injuries to starters in the secondary.

The Demon Deacons had one of the best groups of wide receivers in the country, and arguably the best quarterback in the ACC in Sam Hartman. Now at Notre Dame, Hartman completed 20-of-29 passes for 337 yards and six touchdowns.

In other words, Hartman, and receivers like A.T. Perry, took Lukus and Clemson’s other younger corners to school.

“It is fuel. Just using that, especially at corner, when you get in, you have to make your shot count,” Lukus said. “Everything is magnified when you are on that island, so I think just using that every time you get beat (helps).”

The Wake Forest game motivated Lukus the entire off-season, as he used that game to put himself in position to start and ultimately make plays like he did in last Saturday’s win over Charleston Southern.

Following a Clemson touchdown early in the third quarter, CSU quarterback Tony Bartalo threw a pass in the flats to receiver Fred Highsmith. However, before Highsmith could secure the football, Lukus blew him up.

The hit was so hard, the ball popped into the air and landed in the hands of linebacker Wade Woodaz, who was trailing on the play. Woodaz then turned around and raced 35 yards for a touchdown, giving Clemson a 38-14 lead at the time.

“I thought it was a fumble,” Lukus said. “I thought it hit the ground, but (Woodaz) told me it popped into his hands… We talked about that, it was funny.”

Lukus’ hit on Highsmith is not the first time he has laid the wood on someone. He also did it during Clemson’s first scrimmage in camp this past summer.

“It was the same thing, Cover 2 corner. I just saw the tight end and he just came out on a bubble and I just triggered,” Lukus said. “I had to come inside. The other receiver was supposed to block me, but I just made the tackle pretty much.”

The sophomore made a lot plays like that in camp, and now he is starting to make them on Saturday’s, too.

“He just has a different look in his eye right now,” Swinney said. “He is playing with a lot of confidence. He is playing physical… He is having some fun playing football. He is fun to watch.”

Lukus is having fun, and he especially had fun delivering his hit on Highsmith.

“It was great,” he said. “On Cover 2 corner we can trigger on bubbles and runs, but other than that we are always playing coverage, so when you get those opportunities, it is fun.”

Dear Old Clemson has just added Limited Edition signed Cade Klubnik replica road signs to the online store. Get your highway 2 sign today while supplies last!