Much has been made of Brad Brownell’s tenure at Clemson – my buddy, @TalkinACCSports (Jeffrey Fann), wrote about Brownell here. Here’s what Jeff wrote back on February 12, 2016:
As Clemson entered season, this was regarded as Brownell most athletic most talented team. Projected NBA pick Jaron Bloosomgame was returning, and in spite of playing in a deep talented ACC, Clemson looked like at NCAA team.
The season as we got into conference play, it became a one disappointment after another. 6 of the 8 Tiger ACC losses have come by single digits. End of the game sequences have been typically marked empty offensive possessions, defensive lapses, and mistakes from the bench. Last week against Syracuse, Clemson made the wrong substitution, nearly called a timeout they didn’t have, and left Syracuse shooter Tyus Battle wide open for a game winning 3 point shot.
I’m sorry to say, but that’s indicative of a team that is not being coached up. The team for whatever reason doesn’t buy in defensively and sits near the bottom of the ACC in several defensive categories. Working in Brownell’s favor to extend his tenure is he is only in year 1 of recruiting with a new arena at Clemson, but how much should the considered?
Former Georgia Tech head coach Brian Gregory spent 4 years in a renovated McCamish Pavilion and never once made the NCAA’s.
Brownell and his team are trouble, and he knows it. They only way the Tiger’s sniff the NCAA’s is to win at least 5 of their last 6 games, to finish the year 18-11 (8-10). Otherwise Brownell may be coaching his final games at Clemson. I’m getting the sense in a league filled with future Hall of Fame coaches, that Brownell just isn’t capable of getting Clemson over the hump. He’s got 1 month to prove us wrong.
Clemson is now 4-11 in the ACC – and continues to lose close games. Pat Forde of Yahoo Sports had this to say:
If Brad Brownell’s tenure at Clemson (8) ends in a frustrating flurry of close losses that leaves the Tigers on the wrong side of the bubble yet again, VCU coach Wade will be the obvious choice. He’s a Clemson alum who was director of operations under Oliver Purnell earlier this century, and has gone 87-41 as a head coach at Chattanooga (two years) and VCU (two years). If Wade isn’t the guy, keep an eye on Kelsey of Winthrop – though he needs to make an NCAA tourney appearance to fill out the résumé. There is a chance Clemson might take a run at Marshall, but this isn’t a guy who seems well-suited to playing second fiddle to football.
Will Wade has had three seasons as a head men’s basketball coach – and is in the midst of his fourth (he’s had two seasons at UT-Chattanooga and two at Virginia Commonwealth University). @BackingThePack had a very good evaluation of Will Wade here.
To me, Will Wade is one of those second-tier coaches – like if you can’t get Gregg Marshall, Chris Mack, or Mick Cronin, then you call Will Wade. Thoughts?
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