Matt Luke had stepped away from coaching but was beginning to have the inclination to get back in the game. He was not looking for any specific gig, but when Dabo Swinney called, the Tigers’ new offensive line coach knew it was an opportunity he could not pass up.
“It’s about my family,” said Luke. “My wife and two kids, they’re a football family. The first year was pretty good, but then we started getting that itch a little bit. I really enjoyed going to the kids’ games, and I wouldn’t change it for the world, but at the same time, they missed the locker room and being on the field and the bowl games. So, we just sat down as a family and felt like it was a time.”
Matt Luke
Luke and his family now have a bowl game to look forward to. Luke is already on the ground, coaching the Tigers’ offensive linemen in preparation for the upcoming Gator Bowl match-up with Kentucky. If he has anything to say about it, Luke will have Clemson competing in much more significant postseason games again in the near future.
“I made that decision two years ago when I decided to step away that in my mind, I probably won’t do that again,” he said. “My dad taught me to do the best you can do where you are and what happens, happens. We are going to come here and do everything we can to help Clemson win a national championship. That’s what we’re going to do, and whatever happens after that is what happens.”
Matt Luke
It was the championship pedigree at Clemson, built by Swinney, that made Luke’s decision to come to Clemson an easy one. Luke knows about winning at a high level. He was the head coach at Ole Miss from 2017-19 but made his mark coaching the offensive line at the University of Georgia where he helped mold one of the most dominant units in the country. His other coaching stops include Tennessee and Duke, and everywhere he has been, Luke has been tabbed as one of the best offensive line coaches in the country.
The opportunity to coach at Clemson is one he is grateful to have.
“I’ve always had a tremendous amount of respect for what they’ve stood for (at Clemson),” explained Luke. “It’s a place where I think my family will be happy. It’s pretty close, it’s in the south. It’s in my recruiting footprint. I’m going to be around really, really good people. And we are going to have the chance to compete for national championships. When you add all of that together, it’s a no-brainer.”
Matt Luke
Luke added, “And, obviously when Dabo called, I have always had unbelievable respect for the type of program he ran. From the outside looking in, the family and faith and all those things, it all came togther with the right timing.”
Coach Luke is a family man first. Clemson football is one big family. It has been the perfect match. Luke is already hard at work, and so is the Tigers’ offensive line. The early response has been positive.
“It’s been really good getting back out there,” stated Luke. “My voice is kind of gone, so that’s fun. I think (the players) are really hungry and ready to get to work. We got a long way to go, but we’re going to do this together. We got to work together and it will all work out.”
Matt Luke
Luke’s kids are ready, too.
“My kids are really excited to be here as well, and they want to go down the slide very soon,” laughed Luke.
