Clemson’s Miller was ‘Okay’ in First Start

Freshman offensive tackle says he knows what he needs to work on

Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network

CLEMSON, S.C. — Dabo Swinney says freshman Blake Miller did “okay” in his first game for fifth-ranked Clemson this past Monday night during the Tigers’ victory over Georgia Tech.

The right tackle became just the third true freshman to start a season opener at offensive tackle for Clemson since 1944, joining Mitch Hyatt (2015) and Phil Prince (1944).

“He has to be better. He looked like a freshman at times,” Clemson’s head coach said. “Little disappointed in some of the fundamental things that he did because he has not done that in practice. I think that is just a sign of, like I said, first game. The next thing you know you get outside your technique and your fundamental things.

“He will get better from it, there is no doubt about it. He did some good things, but there is definitely work to be done.”

Miller was charged with allowing one of the three sacks the Tigers gave up in their 41-10 win.

“Obviously, stuff in practice, I knew things I needed to work on and in the game, it definitely showed that, too,” he said. “Then just going into this week, I am just looking at the things I need to work on. Really, in practice, just focusing on them, just the technique and stuff and being dialed in on that, so that next week, hopefully, those issues that I had and those technical problems that I had will go away.”

Like his head coach, Miller is not going to say he played well because he feels that in every game and every practice there are things that he needs to improve. When he looks at the film, good or bad, he looks at the things he needs to improve on from week to week.

“I am going to do my best with this coming practice and this coming week and in these weeks moving forward to improve those things,” Miller said.

Miller learned a lot in his first collegiate game, but what he learned the most is to keep a cool head and not allow negative plays in the past to affect what he has to do the rest of the game.

“Just every play, just go out there and play 120 percent. If you do that, everything else will take care of itself,” he said.

Swinney is excited about Miller’s future on the Tigers’ offensive line, and he could not wait for the opportunity to coach him up after watching the Georgia Tech tape.

“He is a very conscientious kid,” Swinney said. “He’s got everything we need him to be. We just have to clean up a few technical things and see if we can get that corrected this week.”

Clemson will host its home opener Saturday at Memorial Stadium when it plays Furman at 3:30 p.m.

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