Marion Hobby headed back to Clemson

Marion Hobby at a Clemson practice in 2005.

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Sat Jan 08 11:36:29 GMT-04:00 2011

CLEMSON – Marion Hobby is headed back to Clemson.

Multiple sources said Saturday morning that Duke University head coach David Cutcliffe made the announcement following a team meeting on the campus in Durham.

Hobby, Duke’s defensive coordinator, also coaches the defensive line. Chris Rumph, who coach defensive ends for Clemson, left the Tiger program last Tuesday to take a similar position with the University of Alabama.

TigerNet spoke with Steve Wiseman, who covers the Blue Devils for the Herald-Sun in Durham and first reported the move, and he said that Cutcliffe had confirmed that Hobby is leaving Duke for Clemson.

Rumph made $180,000 at Clemson, and while exact figures aren’t known, Duke is believed to have been paying Hobby somewhere in the neighborhood of $300,000 per year.

This is Hobby’s second tour in Clemson – in 2005, Hobby served on the staff at Clemson, helping the Tigers to an 8-4 record. That year, Clemson won six of its final seven contests, defeated Colorado by a 19-10 count in the Champs Sports Bowl and was ranked 21st in the final Associated Press national poll.

Hobby joined the Duke staff in January of 2008 and served as Duke’s assistant head coach and defensive coordinator while mentoring the defensive line.

Under Hobby’s guidance, Duke defensive tackle Vince Oghobaase earned All-America honors from Sporting News in 2009. In addition, four members of Duke’s defensive unit signed free agent contracts with NFL organizations including Oghobaase (Miami Dolphins), linebacker Vincent Rey (Cincinnati Bengals), defensive end Ayanga Okpokowuruk (New York Giants) and cornerback Leon Wright (New York Giants).

In 2008, the Blue Devil defense allowed 23.4 points per game — the program’s lowest in 20 seasons — and held three opponents to less than 10 points for the first time since 1976.

Hobby came to the Duke program following two seasons (2006-07) with the New Orleans Saints where he coached the defensive line. In 2006, the Saints posted a 10-6 record during the regular season and won the NFC South Division championship en route to an appearance in the NFC title game. Hobby coached Will Smith, a defensive end who registered 10.5 quarterback sacks and was tabbed a starter for the Pro Bowl.

Prior to his stint with Clemson, Hobby worked six years (1999-04) alongside Cutcliffe at Ole Miss. During that stretch, the Rebels went 43-29 (.603) with five winning seasons, four bowl game appearances and a share of the SEC Western Division championship in 2003.

Hobby got his start in coaching in 1995, working with the defensive tackles at Tennessee-Martin. He then served two seasons at Southwest Louisiana as strength and conditioning coach (1996) and defensive tackles coach (1997) before spending one year (1998) at Tennessee as assistant strength and conditioning coach. The 1998 Volunteer squad went 13-0 and won the national championship with a 23-16 victory over Florida State in the Fiesta Bowl.

A four-year letterman and three-year starter on defense at Tennessee from 1986-89, Hobby served as team captain as a senior as the Volunteers went 11-1, captured the SEC championship, defeated Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl and finished the year ranked fifth in the final Associated Press national poll. During his playing tenure, the Vols posted a record of 33-14-1 and won three bowl games.

A first team All-SEC choice in 1989 who was named to Tennessee’s 100-year Anniversary squad, Hobby was a third round pick of the Minnesota Vikings in the 1990 NFL Draft and played three seasons with the New England Patriots (1990-92).