Can Clemson’s defensive line benefit from having two coaches again? Defensive tackle Nyles Pinckney thinks so.

When he became the permanent head coach in 2009 through the 2016 season, Dabo Swinney had two defensive line coaches. Dan Brooks coached the defensive tackles from 2009-’16, while Chris Rumph—now at Tennessee—coached the defensive ends from 2009-’10 and Marion Hobby from 2011-’16.

However, Brooks retired following Clemson’s national championship season in 2016 and a week later, Hobby left Clemson to coach the defensive ends for the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars. Swinney brought in Todd Bates to coach on the defensive line, but because he already hired Mickey Conn to coach the safeties, he had to wait until last January to hire a second defensive line coach.

Last year, Bates served as the coach of the entire defensive line, coaching both the ends and the tackles. Now that Lemanski Hall is coaching the defensive ends, thanks to the NCAA’s rule change in January allowing 10 on-field coaches, Clemson’s defensive line is now getting the benefit of having their own position coaches once again.

The good news for Tiger fans is that despite just having one coach on the defensive line a year ago there was not a drop off. Clemson led the nation in sacks last year and ranked third in tackles for loss. However, having two coaches is always better than one.

Pinckney feels he is already seeing the benefits of having Bates as Clemson’s defensive tackles coach just based on the coaching he got in the spring.

“It is really helpful because now you get that one-on-one time like you really need,” the redshirt sophomore said. “Before you had to wait while he helped everybody else, but now you can come up to him and say, ‘Coach Bates what did I do here? How should I have done that and what can I do better.’”

Pinckney feels Bates is an underrated coach because a lot of people don’t know much about him.

“People don’t give Coach Bates as much credit as they should,” he said. “He is a really good coach. He really focuses on technique. You may make the play, but he wants you to make the play in the correct way, that is more efficient.”

When Bates worked with the young players at defensive tackle this past spring, Pinckney noticed how much they improved during the course of the spring. He feels the credit goes to Bates’ coaching.

“When they came in, they were running around like a chicken with their head cut off,” Pinckney said. “But as time goes, he nurtures them and gets to know them. They really made a big improvement working with their hands and being more confident. I feel like they made a big step.”

Again, that’s the benefit the Tigers should have this year with two coaches, once again, working on the defensive line.

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