Dabo Swinney has some fantastic coaches on his staff. He has two overqualified coordinators in Tom Allen and Chad Morris. Both of whom used to run Power Four programs not that long ago. The same principle also applies to Clemson's well-thought-of offensive line coach, Matt Luke. He used to lead his alma mater, Ole Miss. Once a head coach, always a head coach. Some things just never leave you.
In the lead-up to the regular season, Luke painted an exceedingly blunt picture for his position group.
He revealed how important it is for his offensive line to get into shape and fully embrace competition.
“If I don’t go out there and I’m not in shape, somebody who is in shape is going to take my spot," Luke said.
Luke expounded on that notion of how conditioning and going up-tempo could serve his unit this fall.
“There are certain advantages that tempo provides,” Luke continued. “They can’t substitute. They can’t get new guys on the field if we continue to go fast. Whether you’re tired, they’re going to be more tired. You have to believe that, have a collective belief that what we’re doing is going to work.”
He finished by saying how playing with an edge could play a big part in the front five turning it around.
“I think a lot of coaches say competition makes you better,” Luke finished. “But in this case and this year, it truly has to be an edge for us. You’ve got to go earn your spot.”
These candid remarks should not only resonate from within the offensive line room, but throughout the entire locker room. Yes, Luke was hired to recruit and give Clemson's often-criticized offensive line some much-needed bite. However, he can also impact this team in other ways, just like Allen and Morris are already doing on Swinney's staff. More competition could be the jolt that Clemson needs.
One of the biggest downsides to not attacking the portal is complacency setting in over competition.
Matt Luke could be more of a driving force for Clemson than we imagined
Look. Anytime a dynasty falls to the wayside, decadent behavior usually makes its way into the fabric of what made that regime so transcendent. We have seen it before, and we will see it again in college football. Blue-chip prospects will get the offer they want, but are unwilling to put in the work required when they arrive on campus. This is how you end up with nine players getting drafted off a 7-6 team...
Regardless, you cannot change the past, only move forward. In between leading Ole Miss and coming to Clemson, Luke was a part of those Kirby Smart's national championship-winning Georgia staffs. He replaced Sam Pittman as the Bulldogs' star offensive line coach, playing a huge part in their ability to transition in the trenches from one great coach to another. Clemson is so lucky to have Luke on staff.
Unfortunately, there is a non-zero chance that Luke's "earn your spot" mantra could fall on deaf ears and not make it out of the offensive line room. For this leadership tactic to take, Luke will need other well-respected assistants such as Allen, Morris, and new quarterbacks coach Tajh Boyd to carry his water a bit. You can bring a horse to water, but you cannot make it drink. The horse, of course, is Dabo.
The good news is it did not take long for Luke to find a large constraint within the system. Playing with an edge could elevate an entire unit. However, embracing competition is not the team's bottleneck. It is Swinney's inherent stubbornness. What he says goes. If he is willing to hear what Luke is saying, that will be to the great benefit of Clemson. If not, Swinney will be entitled to coaching up the entitled.
If Clemson wants to prove its doubters wrong, it has to find an edge by way of relentless competition.
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