CLEMSON FOOTBALL

Swinney dips into Alabama family tree for new defensive line coach
Photo courtesy of ToddBates.org

Swinney dips into Alabama family tree for new defensive line coach


by - Senior Writer -

CLEMSON – It didn’t take Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney long to replace former defensive ends coach Marion Hobby, and he once again reached into the Alabama family coaching tree to do it.

TigerNet learned early Sunday evening that Jacksonville St. defensive line coach Todd Bates has been offered the job and accepted the offer. His hire is dependent on the university background check.

Clemson lost both defensive line coaches in a six-day span last week – defensive tackles coach Dan Brooks announced his retirement and ends coach Hobby took a similar position with the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars.

Swinney moved former Alabama teammate and defensive analyst Mickey Conn into a full-time staff role, coaching the corners, and picked up Bates this past weekend. Bates is expected to be the defensive line coach for the foreseeable future, but when a 10th full-time coach is added in April it’s expected that former Alabama standout and current defensive analyst Lemanski Hall will step into a role on the defensive line.

Bates just finished his third season at Jacksonville St., but he was recruited at Alabama by Swinney. Bates played for the Crimson Tide from 2001-2004 and graduated in 2005 with a degree in Business Management. While playing for the Crimson Tide, Bates was the only true freshman to play for the Tide in 2001. He was also selected SEC Defensive Player of the Week twice, and named permanent team captain for the 2004 season.

After college, Bates played for the Tennessee Titans as a defensive end from 2005 through the 2006 season.

Bates began his coaching career at Talladega High School in 2007. The following year, he coached at Oxford High School under current JSU head coach John Grass, where he was an assistant football coach for the Yellow Jackets, as well as the head strength and conditioning coach. He spent the next two years at Idaho State coaching the defensive line.

The Tigers had an unprecedented run of success and stability under Brooks and Hobby. Hobby had been at Clemson since 2011, and Brooks landed at Clemson after Tennessee coach Philip Fulmer was fired at the end of the 2008 season.

Until last week, Clemson hadn’t seen a coaching change on the defensive side of the ball since Mike Reed was hired to coach the secondary in 2013, and there had been no changes on staff since former offensive coordinator Chad Morris left to become the head coach at SMU two years ago.

Once the background check is complete, look for an official announcement from the school.

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Subject (Replies: 30) Author
spacer New Story: Swinney dips into Alabama family tree for new defensive line coach
TigerNet News®
spacer Sounds good!***
ClemBert
spacer Welcome to the Clemson Family. There are some big boys to coach and shoes to fill..
soywaker®
spacer Re: Welcome to the Clemson Family. There are some big boys to coach and shoes to fill..
TigerCJ7
spacer I would toss in player leadership in Wilkins and Pagano to
wildblulou®
spacer Re: Welcome to the Clemson Family. There are some big boys to coach and shoes to fill..
CinTiger1
spacer Re: New Story: Swinney dips into Alabama family tree for new defensive line coach
waynetrain
spacer I like it! Go Tigers!!***
nkickha
spacer Sounds like he checks all the boxes except......
72 Fla. Tiger
spacer Neither did Elliott, Scott or Streeter
striperfan
spacer Re: Sounds like he checks all the boxes except......
garrick3270
spacer Re: Sounds like he checks all the boxes except......
Dugatiger®
spacer Awesome!!!! Todd is a beast & a helluva good coach!
orangeman
spacer Re: Awesome!!!! Todd is a beast & a helluva good coach!
cunms
spacer Sounds like you have a story - do tell.....***
hleapha
spacer Re: Awesome!!!! Todd is a beast & a helluva good coach!
84OX
spacer Re: New Story: Swinney dips into Alabama family tree for new defensive line coach
tigernation2000
spacer Love a D-Line coach....that is also a poet. lol
leftneck
spacer Re: New Story: Swinney dips into Alabama family tree for new defensive line coach
kerigantoo
spacer Re: New Story: Swinney dips into Alabama family tree for new defensive line coach
ClemsonAlex
spacer Jacksonville State "'Gamecocks""
big monk
spacer Re: Jacksonville State "'Gamecocks""
BentZero
spacer Re: Jacksonville State "'Gamecocks""
Hice
spacer Re: Jacksonville State "'Gamecocks""
Hice
spacer Re: New Story: Swinney dips into Alabama family tree for new defensive line coach
batty_tiger®
spacer We in the DLine business Again!
lightbulbbill®
spacer Welcome, Coach Bates!***
74leroy
spacer GREAT HIRE!!!!!!!!!
Sportsfan®
spacer Not sure I like this
ptidon
spacer I wonder if
FORESTTIGER
spacer Re: New Story: Swinney dips into Alabama family tree for new defensive line coach
Dugatiger®