Clemson's foundation: Ruke Orhorhoro and Tyler Davis ready for their final season

Tyler Davis and Ruke Orhorhoro have a connection that goes well beyond the football field

The Clemson program under Dabo Swinney has always been known for attempting to create a family connection and bond that has allowed for a winning culture to be created there and has lasted for most of the last decade. It may be that, if Clemson is to regain their former glory this year, a bond between two teammates will play a very big factor in why.

When speaking with reporters this week, Ruke Orhorhoro wasn't shy at all about telling everyone who his best friend is and about the brotherly connection they share. When asked if he and Tyler do everything together Ruke responded, "Yeah, I mean we usually do everything together. I wish we lived together but Tyler got a girlfriend and kind of turned his back on me so she a part of the family too. But yeah we do everything together, we go to church together, eat together, watch film together all the time, we're pretty much together every single day honestly."

How did this kind of friendship start between the two 5th-year seniors? "We really always were together honestly," the affable lineman shared. "He was on the field earlier than me but I would always kind of, I would never say it to his face, but I always kind of looked up to him you know. So I just followed behind his footsteps and he makes me better. Everything he does I want to do better and everything I do he wants to do better and so ever since then we've just been close."

For these two future NFL draft picks the thing that holds their friendship together is competition. Orhorhoro was clear on the mutual respect and drive to push one another, "I think we're both competitors honestly. That's all we love to do is just compete. 24/7 that's all that's on my mind is football, football, football and same thing with him...We just have the same mindset on and off the field and I think that's what makes us click."

When both linemen made their decisions to come back to Clemson it significantly raised the ceiling of what this team could be in 2023. When asked whether they were planning on making the same decision to stay or go he responded, "Yeah, I mean we were truthfully. Honestly, I knew I was coming back like way before I'll tell y'all this right now. But I just wanted him to say it. And so I'd always tell y'all to ask he'd tell y'all to ask me." 

It's hard to tell though who was more excited about Davis deciding to come back between the fans or Ruke, "Yeah, he surprised me. He called me and he was like "Hey, you want to come back?" and I was so surprised because if anything I was gonna stay and he was gonna leave. And so I was like, 'Are you being serious?' and he was like 'Yeah!' and I had the biggest smile on my face."