Clemson losses: Dan Brooks retires; Marion Hobby returning to NFL

National-champion Clemson's coaching ties to Tennessee are severed with the departure of two defensive coaches.

Defensive tackles coach Dan Brooks is retiring. Defensive ends coach Marion Hobby is returning to the NFL.

Hobby, a starter at Tennessee from 1987-89, joins the staff of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

"Marion Hobby is coming off a national championship-winning season and over the past six years, has helped establish Clemson as one of the premier defenses in college football,” new Jaguars coach Doug Marrone said in a statement.

“I had the pleasure of coaching with Marion for two seasons in New Orleans and have personally observed his ability to get the most out of his players. Our team’s ability to generate pressure on opposing quarterbacks and to stop the run will be key factors in our success moving forward and I feel that under the leadership and direction of Coach Hobby, those goals will be accomplished at a high level.”

Hobby had been at Clemson since 2011. He had worked for the New Orleans Saints in 2006-07 and at Duke from 2008-10. Hobby also served on UT's staff as an associate strength coach in 2004.

Brooks worked on Phillip Fulmer's staff at Tennessee from 1994-2008. When Fulmer was fired, Brooks landed at Clemson and has been there ever since.

“There has never been a coach that has been more committed or cares about his players more than Dan Brooks,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said last week. “Ever. Dan is 65 and decided he wants to retire and go out on top. I tried to talk him out of it, but this is what he wants to do.”

There is speculation coach Butch Jones will need a new defensive line coach at Tennessee if Steve Stripling decides to step into another role.