CLEMSON — It was time.
It was time for Matt Luke to come back to doing what he loves – coaching football.
That’s why, when Dabo Swinney came calling in December, Luke jumped at the opportunity to become Clemson’s new offensive line coach. The former Ole Miss head coach had taken the last two football seasons off after coaching Georgia’s 2021 National Championship offensive line.
“It was a decision for me (to leave Georgia) because it was about family. I really enjoyed that time (off), but also, too, with my kids and my wife, they’re a football family,” Luke said prior to the Gator Bowl. “In the first year it was pretty good, but then we started to kind of get that itch a little bit.
“In my mind, I just felt like it was time. I really enjoyed taking the kids to lunch and bringing them to weights in the morning and going to all of their games. It was a great time. But at the same time, they missed the locker room. They missed being on the field, going to bowl games and stuff like that. We just all sat down as a family and felt it was time.”
Luke’s time at Clemson began in the Tigers’ Gator Bowl win over Kentucky. Though Clemson came back and won the game in the final seconds, it was not a great performance by the offensive line.
The Wildcats sacked quarterback Cade Klubnik a Gator Bowl record nine times. But it was not all bad.
In true running plays, minus the sacks, the Tigers averaged 5.1 yards per carry. Running back Phil Mafah also scored a Gator Bowl and Clemson Bowl record four rushing touchdowns, three coming inside the 3-yard line, and area Clemson struggled with mightily during the regular season.
“We do have a long way to go, but we are going to do it together,” Luke said. “I think, as long as we stick together, and we play really, really hard, play the way the game is supposed to be played, then we will be fine.”
This spring, Luke has an offensive line that returns seven players with starting experience. The position to watch is at center, as the Tigers look to replace All-ACC performer Will Putnam, who has graduated.
Left Tackle Candidates
Tristan Leigh, 6-6, 315, *Jr. – Played in all 13 games last season. Leigh started 11 games, playing at both left guard and left tackle. He enters this coming season with 826 career snaps in 20 games.
Collin Sadler, 6-6, 310, *So. – Played in all 13 games last year, while starting five of those. He started three games at tackle and two games at guard. In all, he has played in 16 games in his career and has logged 588 snaps.
Ian Reed, 6-6, 325, *Fr. – The former four-star recruit played in one game in 2023 before redshirting. The Austin, Texas native was a second-team High School All-American.
Left Guard Candidates
Marcus Tate, 6-5, 325, Sr. – During his first three seasons at Clemson, Tate performed well. Unfortunately, the last two have ended with season-ending injuries. The Sunrise, Fla., native has played in 32 games in his career with 27 starts, including eight as a true freshman in 2021. That year, he was just the third true freshman to start on Clemson’s offensive line since 1972.
Trent Howard, 6-3, 295, Gr. – Howard is one of Dabo Swinney’s favorite players, and for good reason. He is a versatile offensive lineman who can play anywhere on the offensive line. He has played in 23 games, including three starts. Those three starts game last season when he played in a career-high 10 games.
Center Candidates
Ryan Linthicum, 6-3, 305, *Jr. – After spending the last two seasons as Will Putnam’s backup, Linthicum finally gets his opportunity to become a starter. He is listed as the only true center on the Clemson roster. Was a former four-star recruit in high school, where he was listed as the best center in Maryland according to Rivals. Played high school football with former Clemson great Bryan Bresee.
Trent Howard, 6-3, 295, Gr.
Harris Sewell, 6-4, 315, So.
Right Guard Candidates
Walker Parks, 6-5, 310, Gr. – Parks is perhaps the Tigers’ best offensive lineman. He played in two games last season before an injury ended his year. He played in 13 games in 2022 and earned fourth-team All-ACC honors. In 2021, Parks was one of four players on the roster to start all 13 games, while also being named to the All-ACC Academic Team. He earned Freshman All-American honors during his true freshman season in 2020.
Harris Sewell, 6-4, 315, So. – The Odessa, Texas native played in 10 games last year, including five starts at the end of the year. After injuries to Parks and Tate, Sewell came in and showed a lot of promise as a true freshman. A physical player with a lot of upside, Swell played 72 snaps against Notre Dame, 71 against North Carolina and 79 in the Gator Bowl.
Dietrick Pennington, 6-5, 340, *Jr. – As a true freshman, Pennigton showed a lot of promise before suffering a season-ending knee injury in collegiate debut. The Memphis, Tenn., native has been fighting to get back ever since. He has played in 12 games in his three-year career.
Right Tackle Candidates
Blake Miller, 6-6, 310, Jr. – Miller was an All-ACC selection last year. He has started all 27 games in his career. He was a Freshman All-American in 2022. He was the first Clemson non-specialist to start every game of the season in both his freshman and sophomore years since Clelin Ferrell from 2016-17 after Ferrell redshirted in 2015.
Zack Owens, 6-6, 375, *Fr. – A former high school All-American, Owens played in two games last season before being redshirted.
Elyjah Thurmon, 6-4, 290, Fr. – Enrolled at Clemson in January. Listed as one of the 13 best interior linemen coming out of high school. Was selected to the Under Armour All-America Game and the Polynesian Bowl.
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