When defensive tackle coach Dan Brooks and defensive end coach Marion Hobby announced they would be retiring and going to the NFL, questions began to circulate about how one of the best defensive lines would recover going into the 2017 season.

Todd Bates answered that question when he was hired shortly thereafter. Bates, who played defensive end for Alabama and the Tennessee Titans, brings plenty of leadership and game experience to an already experienced defensive line.

Bates has all of the pieces laid out for him in order to have a successful first year, and he said that is a dream situation for any coach.

“This is definitely a dream situation joining a team that is the defending National Champion, but I just want to fit my piece into the puzzle, roll my sleeves up and work,” he said.

While having pieces to the puzzle are important, Bates has an extra leg up on the competition seeing as he ran a similar system to defensive coordinator Brent Venables at Jacksonville State.

“It’s very similar,” said Bates. “It’s attack and react…it’s very similar to what I’ve been a part of up front and schematically. My co-coordinator at Jacksonville State worked with Brent so a lot of the verbiage is the same.”

Bates said he has already established a great relationship with Venables and the rest of the staff.

“I’ll tell you it’s like iron sharpening iron,” he said. “I’ve already gotten so much stronger just being around him on a day to day basis. They care, they’re warm and welcome and they want you to be the best you can be.”

In addition to the coaching staff, the players have helped Bates adjust to the system, which is not always an easy process.

“It’s a humble feeling…a lot of guys don’t handle that well when the guys know more than you about the scheme right away,” said Bates. “The things that I’ve seen is that they embraced me as far as having my back and let me know whenever I have a concept mixed up.”

Bates said the players not only help him adjust to the system, they also make his job a lot easier because of their willingness to be coached.

“They’re hungry for knowledge, they’ve accepted me and I just plan on giving them my everything,” he said. “Those guys are very talented up front and they’ve got a lot of experience. I just plan on putting them in the stress of the job and get them a little sharper.”

As if transitioning from a small FCS school to a National Champion was not enough, Bates also gets an office in the newest football facility in the country.

“I was of course blown away, it’s the Taj Mahal of football. I can’t see how recruits wouldn’t be intrigued by it,” said Bates.

While Bates has big shoes to fill in Clemson legends Dan Brooks and Marion Hobby, he said that the most important thing for himself moving forward is to be himself.

“I think it’s very key to coach with your personality, not trying to be a Coach Brooks or a Coach Hobby,” he said. “Again, both of those are great coaches, legends. I just want to put my best foot forward and put my imprint on this team.”

When it all comes down to it, Bates said that he just wants to get to the place where he is most comfortable.

“I just can’t wait to get out there on the field. That’s where it is always the same to me, I feel comfortable out there.”

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