Nyles Pinckney feels he is already seeing the benefits of having Todd Bates as Clemson’s defensive tackles 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 like they did in the past when Marion Hobby used to coach the ends and Dan Brooks coached the tackles.

“It is really helpful because now you get that one-on-one time like you really need,” Pinckney said following practice earlier this week. “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 says Bates does not get the credited he deserves as a coach.

“People don’t give Coach Bates as much credit as they should,” the redshirt sophomore 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.”

With true freshmen Josh Belk and Darnell Jefferies working at defensive tackle this spring, Pinckney noticed how much the two improved from the start of the spring until now. 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.”

Clemson will conclude the spring on Saturday with its annual Orange & White Spring Game at Death Valley. The game is scheduled to kick off at 2:30 p.m., and will be televised by ESPN.