TAMPA, Fla. — When Marion Hobby first saw Clelin Ferrell practice, there was never any doubt he was going to be productive.

In his first week in camp, the Richmond, Virginia native was working with the second-team defense and was pushing Kevin Dodd—now with the Tennessee Titans—for the starting job.

“Clelin was a guy that we knew had a chance to be really good,” Clemson defensive ends coach Marion Hobby said. “He has the skills and that shows right off the bat, but he took to coaching right away and was hungry. You could tell he wanted to get out there and contribute right way.”

Ferrell was on his way until he broke his hand halfway through training camp during his freshman year, setting him back, which eventually led to him being redshirted. However, Ferrell did not pout. Instead, he went back to work as soon as he could and used the year to get bigger, strong and faster than he already was. When spring practices rolled around, Ferrell was listed as the starter at one of the defensive end spots and he has not let go of it.

“One of the big things playing defensive end here at Clemson, that’s big, is your attitude, not just focusing on your technique or your skill as a player,” he said. “Your attitude is something that shows because you have to want to be a great player. You have to want that for yourself.”

Ferrell has turned into a great player, especially when the lights shine the brightest. Entering Monday’s College Football Playoff Championship Game at Raymond James Stadium here in Tampa, Florida, the redshirt freshman has 49 tackles, including 11.5 tackles for loss, six sacks and a team-high 22 quarterback pressures.

Ferrell introduced himself to college football when he sacked Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson twice and had three tackles with a nationally televised audience on ABC watching. He again rose to the occasion with two tackles for loss and another sack at Florida State as the Tigers seized control of the ACC’s Atlantic Division.

Against Virginia Tech in the ACC Championship Game, he had six tackles, two tackles behind the line of scrimmage and another sack.

Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett is still having nightmares about the No. 99 in an orange jersey getting after him in the Tigers’ 31-0 Fiesta Bowl victory last Saturday. Ferrell was the game’s defensive MVP after tallying four tackles, three for loss and a sack. He lived in the Buckeyes’ backfield all night.

“Looking at it from a football standpoint, it’s kind of crazy,” Ferrell said. “Last year I was a part of the team but I wasn’t playing. And to see them, those guys like Shaq and Kevin Dodd, I look up to them as big brothers. They had their opportunity and took advantage of it last year, and then this year, coming in and being a starter playing against The Ohio State, it’s kind of crazy that I got to come out here and perform at a high level.”

Ferrell credits Hobby with his growth and with his ability to be prepared.

“Oh, he’s been huge. I mean, I can’t really put into words how much he’s helped me grow as a player and as a person,” the defensive end said. “He’s kind of helped me develop that on the field and off the field as well. It just goes back into my role back in school and as a person, doing the right things off the field, giving back to my community and stuff like that.

“He’s helped me a huge amount as far as my development as a player and a person.”

Hobby’s intensity and his passion for the game stand out the most to Ferrell. Hobby of course was a former defensive end at Tennessee and played for the New England Patriots in the NFL.  He also coached defensive ends in the NFL for two years with the New Orleans Saints.

“Y’all talk about Coach (Brent Venables) all the time because he’s so intense. But Coach Hobby is a very, very, very intense coach,” Ferrell said. “He wants the best from his players every day. That’s something that I love about him because it’s hard to go out there and give your best every day. But he expects that of us because he wants the best for us.”

Ferrell said Hobby wants his players to exhaust the moment and take advantage of their opportunities, like in this week’s championship game against Alabama.

“That’s the type of guy he is. He’s a guy that wants you to give your all every day,” the redshirt freshman said. “He’s going to give you all the tools you need to be successful, through game planning or through coaching or through film study or whatever.

“He wants you to have success on the field. That’s one of the things I love about him. He cares about his players. He’s going to fight for us on and off the field, in those meetings with the coaches and stuff like that, and in those academic meetings, he fights for us. He always looks out for us. We love him as a coach. We’d walk through a wall for that guy.”

—Photo Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports