Matt Luke meets with media for first time as #Clemson OL coach (AUDIO)

New Clemson offensive line coach Matt Luke met with the media, Tuesday, as the Tigers begin preparations for their Gator Bowl matchup with Kentucky.

Prior to joining Dabo Swinney’s staff, Luke had most recently worked under Kirby Smart at Georgia where he was a part of the Bulldogs’ 2021 championship season before taking the last two seasons off to spend more time with his family. Luke brings with him a reputation as both a quality offensive line coach and recruiter. Luke was ranked eighth amongst recruiters in 2016 by 247Sports and his first two classes as head coach at Ole Miss ranked in the top 25 nationally.

When pressed on why he returned to coaching after stepping away from the game in February of 2022 to spend more time with his family, Luke said, “I’ve always had a tremendous amount of respect for what they’ve stood for here …. This is a place where I thought my family would be happy. It’s in the south. It’s in my recruiting footprint where I’ve spent a lot of time. It’s going to be around a lot of good people and we’re going to have a chance to compete for national championships.”

Both Luke and new defensive line coach Chris Rumph will be fully participating in the Gator Bowl against Kentucky. The Tigers and Wildcats are set for a noon kickoff from EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla., on Dec. 29.

Offensive line coach Matt Luke