Clemson Commit: OL Rowan Byrne | Offensive Line 2024 Preview, 10 Things to Know | Podcast

[Music] hey Clemson family we are catching up on a recent commit for the Tigers football team for 2025 it's a big man we'll get into what he can add to the group I'm Daniel Shirley we also preview the offensive line and Bill you know how I love to talk about offensive line and big men so I'm really excited about this not a lot happens on offense without good blocking up fronts why it's almost half the guys on the field I am Bill Zimmerman Welcome To The Rain Supreme oy podcast we are by the time this posts we will be inside I think 75 days to kickoff of the football season and we love talking football around here you know baseball is wrapped up I don't know about you I don't want to pay too much attention to what could have been in Omaha quite frankly uh good to see Florida State tiar flowing again after that first game I had a little fun with that I'll admit it youtube.com/ Clemson kickoff for the more informative stuff you can all our past episodes breaking down the football team the basketball team the baseball team it has been an exciting year on campus in Clemson and I am already looking forward to not just this season but a season out because the recruiting class looks so freaking good already right now 12 commits with the recent addition of Rowan burn offensive lineman out of rochell New York sorry new rochell New York two news uh 66 and 295 is his average height and weight if you look across the four services and now the third offensive lineman to commit with Matt Luke and you know I saw a tweet the other day where someone said hey you know three commits now for Matt Luke since he joined the staff in December no it's actually six because he had to hustle and get three guys in the door for the 2024 class that's already been signed there was only one guy committed uh when Luke took the job so this is now in a very short time frame uh the half dozen commits on the off offensive line for Matt Luke moving forward they all have good size and you really like to see this higher for dbos Sweeney making an impact in the talent that's coming into the program no doubt about that I mean and that was I mean how many times since we've been doing this podcast have we talked about the weakness at offensive line and and that that was one of the key points that needed to be addressed I look I know the quarterback play has been a downgrade I guess is the nicest way to say that from what we had seen before uh with with Trevor Lawrence and DeShaun Watson even Kelly Bryant right I mean played better uh than than what we've seen the last couple years at quarterback but the the the decline quote unquote of the Clemson program starts up front and there is there's no doubt about that and that you're seeing Matt L Luke really address that and and Bill we've seen him at other stops what his offensive lines look like they are big they're physical they're mean they're nasty and I'm here for all of it I am a Matt Luke uh disciple I am all on his I am I am all for him I I love what he's doing with this program and I think it's going to help get things going back in the right direction I mean you you know you look at the guys in this class Jacobs and Easton we and now Ron burn look at the sizes on those guys and and you mentioned the three at the end of the previous class I mean they were all big physical guys who looked like they could even add some more to their frame so I think that's going to be important going forward yeah I actually need to go back you know eastn wear has been committed for so long I should probably check and see if there are more updated uh Heights and weights on him his father is very active on social media Braden Jacobs and his father are very active on social media and that just sort of helps build that momentum for this group I think and you know I don't know that Matt Luke needs a ton of help because his resume speaks for itself but you love to see you know Brandon Jacobs a former NFL guy and and other parents out there who just love what Clemson has to offer uh for their young men who are about to leave the nest and and go out and find their own way and that dbos Sweeney has a program where they not only can become better football players not only can get in better shape they can truly learn to grow and learn into being a more independent adult than they're already becoming along the way Blake Hebert another one the quarterback out of Connecticut again very active on social media making things happen get the kid get Ian Davidson out there on social media bringing guys in Tay Harris just tweeted uh earlier as we were recording this he's a great follow on social media you want to see these guys Ari Watford his father they're very active on social media I could go on and on and on we are going to try oh Juju Preston I saw him on Twitter earlier today that's what's happening and I think that excitement specifically for the offensive line room is going to make a big difference I think it's something we didn't really see under the past two offensive line coaches I think you know even before Caldwell it just wasn't you know that much of an element to recruiting the players and and the families getting out there and tweeting the way that they do now I love seeing this I love that Matt Luke is fostering that kind of atmosphere in his room and among his guys and that the players who are coming here on their official visits on their elite junior day visits and all these other chances to come to campus they see it they feel it they talk about how genuine it hits home with them and when you have those guys you love to see them get in the door and you can't wait to see them perform on the field as well so glad to see this commit I think we're going to see a few more coming across this summertime season a lot of guys are making official visits uh by the way there is another offensive lineman out there by the name of Hardy Watts very highly regarded I just saw him in an on- three top 10 for interior offensive lineman he has canceled visits to Duke and Boston College after making his Clemson visit and I believe one other could see a decision out of him coming up soon it might bear watching closely uh I've seen some crystal balls not a high level of confidence on those that momentum again keep it going keep it going is David Sanders uh going to remain a prospect and and going to remain uh a focus than if they were to add a fourth offensive lineman whe whether it's Watts whether it's somebody else this group uh making gains is going to be very big and we we're about to preview offensive line and you'll see just why you and I think this class is so important youtube.com Clemson kickoff you can check out our past episodes I'm going to pull that down off the screen we're going to move into the next M of our show by the way you can catch us on Twitter in between episodes uh Clemson kickoff Instagram every now and then you'll see us posting on there as well other socials too now let's go ahead and take a closer look at this offensive line uh on the field for 2024 and who is coming in and Matt Matt Luke being such a focus Daniel you mentioned during the Georgia preview just how much of a fan you are but go ahead and and touch on that a little bit as well yeah I I'm a huge fan of his I I I mean just what he's done everywhere he's been and I know the head coaching gig at Old Miss didn't work out but you look at his resume you look at his history uh you know what he did at Georgia to get that offensive line group headed in the right direction uh is is remarkable because that was the change in what Georgia needed Georgia under Mark Rick had good quarterbacks they had good skill guys but they never could win in the trenches and you know as far as at the highest highest level they won a lot of games and they won in the trenches in a lot of games but when they got to the highest level they couldn't get that done well you know Kirby Smart when he took over he started to change some of that and Matt Luke was a big part of that and you've seen that success these last three years and what it's meant to that Georgia team I look I I you know we talked about dbos Sweeney and his staff kind of being in a rut two years ago and this program being in a rut and it was going to CH take some big moves to change that and we've seen that with Garrett Riley probably the best OC out there who was available and we saw it with Matt Luke who was probably the best offensive line coach who was available so that's what we're seeing with this coaching staff and we'll we'll continue to see that moving forward I am again really impressive Matt Luke what he's been able to do already I don't want to set the expectations too high for what one offensive line coach can do in one off season uh you know we've seen it with other programs I mean Florida Miami Florida State all three of those offensive lines were down at the same time you and I talked years ago you know when was the last time we saw that Florida still hasn't figured theirs out Miami still hasn't figured theirs out Mike Norvell came to Florida state with a strong offensive line resume brought in an assistant who also uh was very accomplished and and maybe a little too accomplished in connecting his players with nil as it turns out but uh when you again it took them a couple of years even with all they were doing on the field and apparently off the field to make that unit turn around it took a lot and it took time but I don't think this group needs to make huge gains in order for the Tigers to have a better offense this year pardon me you talk about analytics and how just a little bit can make a big difference I think that's what you're looking at with this offensive line group I don't think we'll see a ton of freshmen I had I had a sneak preview there of our next topic and we'll try to keep this kind of hit and move hit and move maybe maybe sort of lightning round because Daniel I don't think other people want to talk about offensive line as much you as you and I want to talk about it even even though we admittedly are not offensive line coaches but and when I look at the Freshman Class that's in here uh I don't know that I see anyone who's going to be like hey that guy's going to step up and start the way Mitch Hyatt did it may be more of an emergency situation and it may take multiple emergencies to get one on the field is Elijah Thurman though that guy if they need one well he's a talent man he is a he's a big-time Talent it's just I think this is more of a depth play for this year right I look there's not a mitch Hyatt in this class that's you know it took took forever to get the the the class together at the offensive line and Matt Luke was was such a big piece of that are these more projects I don't know if projects is the right word but I do think it's more of a depth play for this year and get them some experience and I think there's enough Talent there Bill to get them some experience that that they can build something off of this year and have a foundation whereas in the past few years it felt like if Clemson played that eighth ninth 10th guy it was more of a stretch and a big drop off I know they're freshman it's going be a drop off but talent-wise I think they can fit their playing time with what they can do you know with their talent so I I like this group I like what Matt Luke was able to do it it is more of a a a future group than than immediate but I like what they can bring to the team depthwise not playing Big Time minutes in Big Time games yeah I think if we see anybody it'll be in the second half of the season and it may I'll tell you I'll give one caveat to that if someone comes in and can really execute the pulls and the other things that are in Garrett Riley's system and do them well and be that chest piece in the right place at the right time even if they're not in perfect uh you know physically sculpted form like you would like to see they may be able to sneak in there and get some playing time so at Center also would be an opportunity if someone is coming in I don't think anybody saw an actual Center coming in as an immediate impact guy in this group so you're hearing a lot about uh ran lyam and Harris Su battling out for that job you know the old quarterback cliche if you have two quarterbacks you don't have any is that the case at Center uh it might be um this is in my mind this is the the biggest question mark up front for this group is who's going to be the center I I you know I haven't seen enough from lenum yet to say he's the guy I mean look he's been around for a couple years I I don't know that he's been in shape to be the guy uh and and I think he's got to work on that he was a big-time recruit I mean he was a big time get in the recruiting rankings right but it it we know that some guys develop later than than that immediate uh you know impact and he could be one of those guys if he is that's great but this is the biggest question mark I think Bill maybe on the entire team is who's going to play center yeah I I kind of kind of lean uh slightly if Su were to get the job I might be just like 3% happier I love that he just took over at alltime Center in the spring game and got a lot of reps because I think that would be valuable for him you look at the tackles I think everybody has confidence in Tristan Lee and Blake Miller uh the question is what comes after that but boy these are two guys who are uh very capable no doubt about that I I look I I don't know that either of them had a great year last year I think they pretty good I think they both had some moments where you go you know what are they doing uh but I think the talent is there and I think again Matt Luke coming in can develop that talent and make these guys what they were supposed to be uh when they got to this program and developing we know recruiting is big but developing is just as big a piece of that puzzle uh we haven't seen that as much with Clemson's offensive line the last few years right you get into the guards you got Walker Parks who you hope is healthy and you know he's been medically cleared to return to action you've got Marcus Tate who has done a fine job I think at when he has been healthy especially when he was called on unexpectedly as a freshman I I think when you great on a curve you had to be proud of what he did and then you saw late that year and the following year how well he could play uh clearly Sadler has just injected some you know what do you want to call it what what's what's the stuff that uh Steve Rogers was on in Captain America he's got a little bit of that doesn't he he's mean I like it I I want to see my offensive lineman just be mean and physical and and I don't know how many times I can say that but uh you know that's what I'm looking for from him and and again we'll find out about the freshman and where they fit and and in those kind of spots but if if those guys can get done uh I think I think Clemson's offensive line could be in a really good spot yep I think the big key and and honestly the tackles bring this to mind maybe Center a little bit last year but tack tackles bring this to mind more to me than anything is f busts like look there were a I would say on a majority of pass plays Club Nick had plenty of time to operate uh maybe to the point where he even took that for granted a little bit but then there I think there was also even though it wasn't most of the plays was too high a percentage of plays where there was just no time for anything to happen I mean it wasn't even like oh you know should have had another quarter second should have had another half second no like someone was on you right away and that just can't happen or it can't happen with the frequency that it did last season it's gonna happen right I mean it's everybody's gonna make mistakes the other team is gonna make plays too I mean the other team's pretty good uh most of these games they're on scholarship as well so but you can't let the butt happen right where as soon as Kade gets the ball there's somebody on top of him that cannot happen uh and and we saw it in the Florida State game the big bust we know about uh with the sack the the fumble recovery and and and the uh and the touchdown scoop and score that really changed that game probably changed Clemson's entire season at least for a couple of weeks uh certainly changed Florida State season uh they're not they're not what they were at the end of the year without beating Clemson so um you know that can't happen again that's got to stop now who who was that bust on too Bill we're not you know offensive coaches to know was that on the quarterback was that on the running back was that on the offensive line who was it on right but that can't happen anymore yeah I'm not a big fan of these plays and we saw it a few years ago uh Clemson Florida State where they just weren't even chipping uh the defensive end that lined up over the right tackle and two handoffs in the Red Zone were disrupted and I'm just I'm not a big fan of that scheme at least chip a guy you know put a hat on a hat I know you got to get moving I got I know you got to get in motion but does that mean the running back was uh lined up in the wrong spot should he have been on the other side of the quarterback to safely get a handoff was somebody supposed to go in motion and get that guy uh what you know where was the breakdown and and to me just guys coming through uh absolutely untouched that's got to be something that that changes quite a bit so so let's get into the I'm if that one point if that's the scheme to leave a guy unblocked to get a running start at your quarterback that's not a good scheme I think it was a bust more than it was a scheme yeah I think so too I'll lump these two together the class of 22 with Miller and Saddler the cast class of 23 uh now we have Reed and Su remaining for that and I I kind of foreshadowed that these are two important topics like you've only got uh four young guys in the last couple of years who aren't your pure freshmen who are really there and ready to contribute I mean this should be their peak time and they're having to deal with a new coach now I think uh almost all of us agree that at least X and O wise not not personally because Thomas auson great individual uh by all accounts I've been enjoying by the way I think I mentioned this once before but I've been enjoying listen to his long form interview with Larry Williams on the Clemson dubcast podcast uh if you are interested in that you definitely want to make time for that on a road trip you know running errands whatever check that out these are the four guys who really have to Pivot hard and embrace what Matt Luke is bringing into this program and kind of be that infusion of Youth and and find a way to step up I mean we've seen plenty of Miller Sadler in Su uh Ian Reed was dealing with some injuries last year you'd like to see him healthy and able to contribute but they're going to matter oh no doubt I I think this is the core of the offensive line right now now is these four guys and and obviously Tron Lee and whoever becomes the center that we talked about no I I think that that these four um are huge I think they probably were expecting Reed to help them last year right and we know the you know that unfortunately he had the health issues U so we'll see what he can become I don't know that we expect him to be ready right at the start of the season but it sure would be a nice bonus if he could give the team something obviously we're more concerned about you know the young man being healthy that's way more important than ever playing a single game of college football but if he's if he's on the roster and he's healthy he could be an important piece moving forward yep and you certainly also I don't want to let these guys go and mention Dietrich Pennington Trent Howard both have a lot of talent both have a lot of potential you'd love to see them step forward and make tracks as well run blocking I think this is going to be the biggest thing of all I think that we didn't see as much out of will Shipley as we could have last year had the Run blocking been better in in what Garrett Riley likes to call his dirt raid scheme he doesn't want this to be all passing all the time uh so get the assignments down better and and frankly with mafa being a bcow you want him getting through the lines with with minimal touches and able to get some yard after carry I mean I'm not going to say the 2016 line was was all world or anything like that but look how many times way Gman had a crease where he could slip through and not take uh a significant hit before he could get into the field and turn something into four yards or seven yards in just a key situation that's what I want to see for mafa and I think mafa maybe has just a little bit more Breakaway ability than Gman if he's able to get into space four five six seven yards past the line well and remember even in the 2015 season the game against Oklahoma right and in the bowl game and they they they ran up and down the field now a lot of that was Des Watson but Gman had a huge game in that game and and they just Oklahoma could not stop this running game that's been a while so you do want to see that that you know that those guys up front get the job done and this is a huge piece to that um I I think mafa being the lead guy nothing against will Shipley we love will Shipley but I think mafa being that lead guy in this system might be a better fit just because you know a little bit more physical uh a little bit bigger back uh we'll see but I I i' like having him back we would Lov to had will Shipley back too with with another year in this system but I like having ma a back hold on to the ball hold on to the ball can we say that yes he had he had a couple of key fumbles last year uh that that we remember the Duke game even the end of the Notre Dame game but I think the end of the Kentucky game kind of bodess well for what Phil mafa can be in this offense yeah and then we'll close the episode out with this I think again looking at items four and three their performance this year is not just key to winning games this year it's also going to be high uh Stakes for this recruiting class and for 2026 I mean you want to keep this class of 2025 with the three commits they have so far in the barn so to speak you also want to start building momentum early with the 2026 recruits because with a small remaining class of 23 and also a small class of 22 you are talking about a definite need to bring guys in and and when 24 like we said didn't have those immediate impact guys maybe 25 is going to need to you're going to want to see some battles in there and without a doubt we have not seen Clemson gain a ton of traction in recent years and offensive line recruiting you want the performance to be able to enable Matt Luke to say hey I don't just have to sell this all I have to do is show this to you well that's the key is is yes winning games this year but continuing to add talent to your roster is how these teams win and stay at the highest level and look I mean we talked earlier about the recruiting class so far this year I think they're off to a really good start I think they're going to sign a couple of more guys you know you mentioned David Sanders David Sanders is is an overs signed guy if he wants to take it to December you sign as many guys as you can before then but if he says Hey I want to come to Clemson come on yeah you take him even if you've already signed six offensive linemen you take seven you know I mean that's that's that's how good he is so I I think you continue to stack Talent on top of Talent on top of talent that's how these top teams win how did Nick Sabin win when guys left there were five stars sitting behind them or four stars or Talent or whatever what how did Kirby Smart win two straight national titles when they lost so many guys off that first team because they had a bunch of talented guys right behind them that's the key to building and continuing to build and Dav Sweeny knows that he's done it he's done it I mean there's nobody been more consistent uh during the Davos s's tenure than Clemson so that they know that and and I'm sure they will continue to get that done yep and maybe we'll even start to see some players rotations I mean all my concerns about Center aside let's get some guys in there getting regular snaps and and build some depth build some true depth not just you know depth that's been discussed and let's see it play out so catch all our past episodes youtube.com Clemson kickoff we've got the new Clemson kickoff.com website uh tires ain't pretty is kind of my design theme there I'll admit it but we've got some cool features in there you can check out all our uh you can check out our recent episodes you can also sign up for email updates so that you'll be getting uh notifications someplace that's maybe a little more convenient for you than in this app as well you can catch Us Audio Only on YouTube music uh hopefully I can start dropping some of these back into apple and Spotify if time's going to allow me to do that that's something I would love to do I know we reach uh good chunk of people there next episode we will get into special teams this is a position rankings by the way I didn't mention that but uh o line came in in our twom man vote tally as you know well we're going to start with them because they got the longest way to go to improve special teams is going to be next and then we're also doing team by te previews uh Georgia should have been posted by now and I think app state will be coming up next and we'll work our way through the whole schedule so stay with us check everything out and until our next episode I'm Bill Zimmerman I'm Daniel Shirley go Tigers [Music]