But his high expectations come with a clarification.
"When I say high expectations, I mean for him coming back and being on schedule to start the season," the head coach said after Friday's OTA.
The outside linebacker is on the comeback trail after undergoing microfracture knee surgery in early December of 2014. It was the third surgery he underwent that calendar year, as he had a sports hernia repair last June and a meniscus surgery in September. He's worked with the team's medical and strength and conditioning staff on side fields throughout OTAs, and O'Brien is very encouraged by Clowney's progress.