CLEMSON — Ronan Hanafin loves to hit.

It’s one reason why he became a football player. Of course, growing up with four brothers played a part in it, as well.

When he was little, Hanafin and his brothers would play a game called “Hurricane” with their father. He would stand in the living run and they would run from two hallways down. They would run as fast as they could and hit him as hard as they could.

“That is what honestly started it for me,” the Clemson safety said.

Hanafin likes to hit so much, besides playing football, he played hockey and lacrosse when he was growing up in Massachusetts.

“I was always the kid, I was not stuck in the penalty box, I was a little over aggressive sometimes,” he said. “But obviously, that helps in football and that has been a huge plus for me at safety too.”

Hanafin has not always played safety. He came to Clemson as a wide receiver before moving to the defensive side of the ball prior to last year’s season opener against Georgia.

But even at receiver, Hanafan loved to hit.

“I would pancake kids from time-to-time,” he said. “I would still come in and hit kids and try to do whatever I can to be a little physical at wide receiver. But obviously, at safety, it is your job to be physical, so that has been helpful there.”

It also helped that Hanafin has played on the kick coverage team the last two seasons and has been one of the Tigers’ top tacklers on special teams. Now, he is doing it full time at safety, and he loves popping the pads.

“I like my big hits. You come across the middle and (bang), that is fun,” the rising junior said.

It is a feeling, Hanafan said, is almost as good as scoring a touchdown when he played wide receiver.

“It definitely is,” he said.

With Tom Allen as Clemson’s defensive coordinator, Hanafin says there has been a lot of pads popping this spring. He also can confirm Allen has participated.

“Last Saturday, somebody made a good play and Coach Allen just went over and tackled him,” Hanafin said. “We were all rolling around on the ground, so that was fun for sure. He is an aggressive guy, and I love it.

“I love everything about him.”

Hanafin says he has not been tackled by Allen.

“But I am looking forward to that day, for sure,” he said.