Clemson baseball: Update and thoughts on coach search

Reading the tea leaves is getting more difficult by the day as Clemson baseball continues search for a new coach.

Sometimes coaching searches are fairly transparent and predictable, especially in the bigger sports where scrutiny is the norm, but not so much with this Clemson baseball coaching search.

Just last week I opined that there was a name that stood out, at least to me, and I still feel that way to some extent, despite there being mention of other candidates.

Since then I’ve chatted with folks and heard different opinions, one being that Erik Bakich may not be excited about leaving a situation at Michigan where he has “help” with the struggle that is the 11.7 scholarships allotted for college baseball, for a place like Clemson, where that “help” is a bit more of an unknown.

You’d also have to think that Michigan may be easier to win at year in and year out than an ACC that regularly puts multiple teams in Super Regionals and Omaha and that won’t get any easier if Link Jarrett ends up at Florida State.

I’ve also heard conflicting opinions on whether Bakich is going to be the next coach at Clemson.

Early on in the process it spread that perhaps Dan McDonnell of Louisville was unhappy with things going on at Louisville and could perhaps be a candidate.  I didn’t think so at the time as he’s been there for 16 seasons and 679 wins.

My thought process was that it’d have to be a real problem for him to leave that history and legacy behind at this point in his career.

AD Graham Neff said Tigers would pay up for a coach and that’s just what they’re going to have to do

If you believe Wikipedia McDonnell makes just over a million at Louisville, which is about twice what Monte Lee reportedly made.

If McDonnell is available, do the Tigers pony up?  Director of Athletics Graham Neff sure made it sound as if they would when announcing Lee’s termination.

My guess is to tempt McDonnell the Tigers would have to far exceed the Louisville number, maybe a good bit, but that’s just a guess on my part.

Bakich reportedly makes a lot less, but that doesn’t include supplementary compensation, which with a school the size of Michigan and Big 10 resources, is probably significant.

I’ve also heard Cliff Godwin’s name tossed around.  I have no idea what Godwin is thinking, but it seems to me he’s married to East Carolina and it’s a good marriage.  Money often can make the difference, but not always – remember Godwin was born close to Greenville, NC, went to East Carolina and is very emotional and passionate about his alma mater.  It’s difficult to see him walking away from that.

The drama continues and will until the Tigers name their new coach.