The closer we get to the end of Clemson basketball season more the fan base becomes split on whether they want head coach Brad Brownell retained or let go.
Clemson basketball is in that no-fly zone area right now. It is an area that no Athletic Director wants to be in. There are reasons to keep a coach that has routinely underperformed at his job for a decade while there are even more obvious reasons to not retain a coach that has underachieved at his job for a decade.
Saturday afternoon’s win against Louisville is more of a reason to not retain Brad Brownell than it is to bring him back yet again. Let me explain.
During the 2019-2020 season, Clemson basketball has ended the programs winless streak at Chapel Hill, beaten Top 5 Duke at home and now beaten Top 5 Louisville at home. This is the first time since the 1974-1975 season that Men’s basketball has beaten two AP Top 5 teams at home in the season. Record-breaking.
However, this is also the same basketball team led by the same coach that has lost to Wake Forest, Miami, and Virginia Tech. These are three of the four worst teams in the ACC.
The lack of consistency and direction from the coaching staff tells everyone that it is time to go and that a fresh start is needed. Before you respond with the usual “who could do better” realize that is for Dan Radakovich to decide but there is always someone out there that can do a better job with a team than sitting at 13-12 with two of the best wins in college basketball.
Looking around twitter yesterday, Clemson media kept pointing to how good this team would be next year. Using the South Carolina battle cry amidst a terrible season should be beneath our athletic programs. However, let’s go back last season as a way to look forward.
Clemson was coming off two NCAA tournament wins, including a 30 point blowout win over Auburn. They brought back four guys that started the Auburn NCAA tournament game. The rosters’ biggest loss was Gabe DeVoe but lost bench piece Mark Donnal. Bringing back three seniors with extensive starts under their belts and a bench that had played a lot of basketball, getting back to the NCAA tournament should have been a given.
Instead, they went 9-9 in the ACC and 20-14 overall and lost at home in the second round of the NIT.
Why is the 2020-2021 season going to be any different than the 2018-2019 season? What has Brownell showed this fan base after 10 years that makes anyone believe that one more year is all it will take to finally be good?
The fact is, we would not accept this in any other sport at Clemson, but we allow this nonsense to continue with Men’s basketball.