SUNSET, S.C. — Clemson defensive ends coach Marion Hobby joked he’ll sometimes wake up in the middle of the night pining for the Tigers former All-American lineman Shaq Lawson, shouting, “Shaq, get in there.”

It’s like that across the board for Clemson, which lost seven starters from a team that won the Atlantic Coast Conference title and played for a national championship.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do,” Tigers defensive coordinator Brent Venables said. “Got to start over again.”

Clemson has faced this turnover before, just last summer the Tigers needed to replace eight starters — and all four defensive linemen — from a 2014 unit that led the nation in fewest yards allowed.

The result was a physical, relentless defense powered by Lawson, who was selected No. 19 overall by Buffalo in last spring’s NFL draft. Six of Lawson’s defensive teammates were also drafted, four of them like Lawson giving up their final year in college to go pro.

Venables said watching guys develop into pros is what college football is about. Sure, he’d love having Lawson and end Kevin Dodd (drafted No. 34 by Tennessee) back as starters, but understands you have to be prepared for stellar players to move on.

Clemson’s secondary was the hardest hit; lockdown cornerback Mackensie Alexander and starting safeties Jayron Kearse and T.J. Green all left early.

“That’s the reason why you pay me, to coach,” secondary coach Mike Reed said. “Whoever is out there, I’m going to coach them up. The reason they’re here, they’re top student athletes in the country so it’s a process of where one man leaves and the other man has to step up.”

Hobby said Clemson’s planning for such departures begins two and three years earlier with recruiting, identifying players who can learn quickly and want to be ready to jump in when called.

That happened last season in Clemson’s national semifinal victory over Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl. Lawson got hurt early on and the Tigers brought in freshman Austin Bryant.

The 6-foot-4, 265-pound sophomore played 63 snaps and made eight tackles in the 37-17 victory.