Sadler says Matt Luke's energy is contagious

Collin Sadler loves what Matt Luke has brought to the offensive line.

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Sun Mar 17 07:00:02 GMT-04:00 2024

CLEMSON – New offensive line coach Matt Luke’s energy is contagious, and that is beginning to pay dividends for his players.

Luke stepped away from coaching for two years in 2021 – he was the offensive line coach for Georgia’s National Championship team – and said only the right opportunity would lure him back into coaching.

That right opportunity turned out to be at Clemson, and he was hired by head coach Dabo Swinney in early December to improve a unit that has struggled in recent seasons. Luke got to know his players during bowl practice and coached in the Gator Bowl win over Kentucky, and this spring practice has given him even more of a chance to mold the line into the image he wants.

Collin Sadler has played in 16 games over his first two seasons, starting five of them (three at tackle and two at guard). He was asked after a recent practice what the energy has been like during the first few weeks of the spring.

“Contagious. Matt Luke is a guy that prides himself on his energy. He prides himself on not asking his players to do something he’s not willing to do himself,” Sadler said. “He’s out here bringing the juice every single day, and it almost feels like it’ll be our fault to not match that. So, it’s almost an obligation to us. We’re really thankful for him and thankful that he came to our program. We’re looking forward to building this spring.”

Luke not only brings energy to his coaching, but he’s also tough on his players, which Sadler loves.

“Oh, most definitely. Again, something else he prides himself on is leaving no gray area,” he said. “He tells you exactly how he wants and when he wants it. It’s something that simplifies the offense. We’re really thankful for that as well.”

The Tigers return a bevy of experienced players and add that to a young, promising group of rising stars. That depth will pay dividends this season.

“It’s huge. You know, with the playoffs expanding, we have an opportunity to play 17 games if we go all the way,” Sadler said. “Competitive depth is huge, and that’s something we have in spades this year. We’ve got guys like Harris (Sewell) and Trent (Howard) rolling in. I mean, I’m just really confident if God forbid somebody goes down, we’ve got guys rolling in that are just as competitive, who’ll go out there and put it all on the line for this team.”

Which of the younger players is standing out?

“Elyjah Thurmon. He’s going to be a dawg. He’s going to be good,” Sadler said of the freshman. “He has the opportunity to step in there right away this year. I think he can go ahead and make an impact. He’s extremely polished, his technique, he plays under himself, and he plays powerfully. More than anything, he’s just explosive. I’m really looking forward to seeing what he can do.”