Back home, Marion Hobby reflects on return to Tennessee
As Marion Hobby walked into the football facility Monday morning and looked around, he couldn’t help but take it all in. He was home as the former Vol defensive lineman is back at his Alma Mater as as Tennessee’s assistant defensive line coach.
“Anytime you come back into a place that you love, a place that you cherish and have an opportunity to coach there again is always a big deal,” Hobby said. “I am really fortunate that coach Heupel gave me an opportunity to come back and help them anyway that I could is big time.”
Hobby grew up in Irondale, Alabama before coming to Tennessee in the late 1980s. He was a fan favorite while in Knoxville. He had a brief stint in the NFL before getting into coaching as a strength and conditioning coach at UT Martin. He was on the strength staff at Tennessee in 1998 before following David Cutcliffe to Ole Miss as the defensive line coach. Irondale is just 14 short miles away from Leeds, Alabama, the hometown of Vol defensive line coach Rodney Garner. Knowing how coach G feels about Tennessee made this move very easy for Hobby
The buildings around there are unbelievable and when I was up here back in the spring of last year, things have changed since then,” Hobby said. “Just new construction it is totally different walking around campus. It really is.”
But the bare bones are still just like he remembers it some 30 plus years ago. The indelible memories come flooding back with just a simple drive. 
“It was funny, when I was driving off campus this evening I just decided I was just going to ride through campus I did and it brought back smiles, and memories,” Hobby said. “You know all the times you were walking around campus. Even took me back when I was really a young buck at Tennessee.”
He brings experience and another voice to a veteran, defensive coaching staff. he looks forward to working with a group of talented, defensive lineman, and helping where he can
Yes, it always does,” Hobby said. “I have a great relationship with Coach Garner being like family and him saying so many the wonderful things about coach Heupel and also coach Banks two guys we work and seeing how pleased he was being around them. It was all just really good.”
He has been in the NFL and in college. He helped Clemson reach the pinnacle in 2016 when the Tigers won the national championship. He then has been in the NFL with multiple teams since then. He has always kept up with Tennessee football and has been super impressed from afar with how Josh Heupel has turned this program around.
“I’ll tell you what last year and the year before just the things that coach Heupel has done with the program has all been so exciting,” Hobby said. “From going to the playoffs last year to the years before and winning in the big games and in the way he’s done it with class. And watching our guys on the football field leave there and continue their careers as professional athletes and the things that they said about the leadership that’s been there in Tennessee has been crazy.”
Campus has changed a good bit in recent years and he is the first to acknowledge the sight lines are a bit different
“One thing I want them to know is that they’re going to get a loyal participant,” Hobby said. “I’m going to definitely do everything I can to help them in anyway that I can. I talked with the guys earlier and I mentioned to them that what they’ve done in the last few years has made me proud. I’m very proud of what they’ve already done, but I hope that I can just add something and then we continue to bring this to another level
