Josh Heupel is adding a former Tennessee football star to the Vols’ coaching staff. Marion Hobby is joining Tennessee’s staff as a defensive analyst, 247sports’ Matt Zenitz first reported on Monday morning.
Hobby played at Tennessee from 1986-89 where he totaled 217 tackles, seven sacks, 12 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles and 11 pass breakups. The Irondale, Alabama native was a First Team All-SEC selection in 1989, totaling 67 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and eight pass breakups.
The Minnesota Vikings selected Hobby in the third round of the 1990 NFL Draft after his playing career came to an end. Hobby played three seasons in the NFL but coaching would prove to be his professional fate and eventually lead him back to his alma mater.
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Hobby has most recently been a NFL defensive line coach. He spent the last three years as the Cincinnati Bengals defensive line coach. Prior to that he spent two years each as the defensive line coach for the Miami Dolphins and Jacksonville Jaguars.
But Hobby does have college coaching experience as well. He was the defensive end coach and co-defensive coordinator at Clemson from 2011-16 helping the Tigers win their first national championship in over three decades before leaving for the NFL.
Hobby also served stints at Duke and a five-year stretch as the defensive line coach at Ole Miss under David Cutcliffe. The one previous year that Hobby spent at Tennessee was a good one with the former defensive end serving as the assistant strength and conditioning coach in 1998.
Heupel adds the experienced defensive assistant to a Tennessee defensive staff that is already one of the best in the country. Between longtime SEC defensive line coach Rodney Garner and outside linebackers coach Levorn Harbin (Coach Chop), the Vols have two proven coaches and recruiters that Hobby will work with.
