Our athletic director, Terry Don Phillips, is having interviews of new candidates all weekend. Confirmed are:

Scott Drew, Head Coach at Baylor
Jeff Capel, Head Coach at Oklahoma
Brad Brownell, Head Coach at Wright State
Mike Young, Head Coach at Wofford
Blaine Taylor, Head Coach at ODU
Al Skinner, former Head Coach at BC
Ron Bradley, Assistant Coach at Clemson

From the same article:

Multiple sources said Friday that Ohio coach John Groce has emerged as a coach of interest for Clemson.

Groce, 38, led Ohio to an upset win against Georgetown in the NCAA tournament and was credited with being a key recruiter in bringing together Ohio State's "Thad Five" recruiting class that included Greg Oden and Mike Conley, Jr. Ohio University officials declined to comment on whether Groce had been contacted.

It'd be good move for Drew. IMO, Baylor's basketball program definitely has a ceiling, similar to, say, Northwestern in football. A team with a chance to do very good things from time to time, but likely never will reach the Big Show (winning a national championship). Unlike football, Baylor's opportunity to win a title lies solely in its hands, but I just don't see it happening.

I don't really see it happening at Clemson, either, to be honest, but it's the ACC. Any basketball coach not at a traditional power or a basketball school in general, would be crazy not to at least consider the move. There are always exceptions, of course, such as Brad Stevens' current situation at Butler or Mark Few at Gonzaga, two schools of which are rapidly becoming basketball powers, if not already.

Capel has been in some hot water recently in Norman. Not sure what his current situation is.

If Clemson hires Skinner, they should cut their basketball program. If he wasn't good enough for Boston College, then what's that say if the Tigers bring him in a week and a half after BC let him go?

Jeff Capel is an interesting name to see. I figured his stock would be way down after OU's train wreck of a season this year. He was OK but not great at VCU and Blake Griffin obviously carried him to wins at OU.

I'd go with Drew also, he brought that program back from the brink of death. Why Skinner is on this list is beyond me, you just leave an ACC school and now are on the list for another?

I agree with your sentiments about Drew rec, except I think this job has just landed on the wrong year for him. With Perry Jones coming in this year I would think he would want to see it through next year.

Out of those candidates I would probably say Capel if he wants it, no one else on that list really impresses me that much. Groce would probably be next but he probably hasn't done enough yet.

I believe we interviewed Skinner quickly so we could say we hired a minority candidate. I am hearing that Drew is the first choice, with Capel second. I guess the Capel situation at OK is mostly boosters and things doing things behind his back and he is sick of it. He is a pretty good recruiter, and their season this year was influenced a lot by injury.

I hope we can land Drew though.

I'd be happy to see Drew at Clemson. He comes from a family with a tremendous basketball pedigree and came within a few points of beating Duke to reach the Final Four this season, with the Baylor Bears. He can coach, and can turn a program around in a hurry.

The ACC would be better off with him.

I'd rather not see Capel at Clemson, if only for the mere fact that he once played for Duke and I wouldn't be too fond of wanting to kill his ass each game, which I would.



Note: It should be noted for anyone who doesn't know, that Capel has never coached at Duke. Knowing this, I could see the Capel move to the ACC as a legit possibility.

Sources are reporting that Rick Stansbury from Mississippi State is seriously considering taking the job at Clemson.

I would be very happy with this hire.

Sources are now reporting that he turned us down. Doh.

EDIT** He was prepared to accept, but a problem arose with the buyout in his contract.

Now being reported that Clemson is close to inking a deal with Wright State coach, Brad Brownell. Brownell is noted for developing talent, fundamental basketball, and winning where talent is bare. Imagine what he could do with a little talent!

ohiotiger33 wrote:Imagine what he could do with a little talent!

And if he wins a good bit at Clemson, he might get that chance one day. Just depends on what jobs are open at that point.

Just kidding.

I hope that the next coach comes in and turns Clemson into a program that challenges for Final Fours every few seasons, which I think, with some hard work, can be accomplished. This is the ACC, and Clemson is a very attractable school for recruits in the warm, sunny south. I see no reason why the Tigers' program has to continue playing at Purnell level post-season ball.

Haha, thanks for the ribbing. We have some talent on the team. Mac All american, Milton Jennings (who looked like a scared frosh this year), and some 3-4 star kids.

I like that he coaches Xs and Os. My biggest prob with Purnell was his inability to run any kind of offense. Seriously, we relied on the press and TOs. If we played a team with great guards, and they broke the press, we always got creamed.


We were a scary team at home under Purnell, feeding off the crowd, but the Tigers turned into the Kitty cats on the road and at neutral sites.


This hire is a bit of a gamble, but he seems like a winner, and someone who can get the talent out of every player.

Interesting if this hire does go down.

Just announced on Sportscenter that Wright States Brad Brownell is headed to Clemson

Expect a much different-look Clemson next year. No more full court press thank god.

Brownell is a good coach. He coaches very similar to Brad Stevens, except Stevens has talent.

^^ That is what I have heard.

I am happy to get a coach that is really committed to getting back to fundamental basketball. I am sick of watching street ball and crappy offense.

Maybe he is a good coach, but the Wright State label attached to him just puts me off.

All he did the past few seasons at WSU was lose to Butler and beat the bottom-feeders (usually in ugly games, too)...so he'll fit right in at Clemson.

This last season, he lost no game by more than 12. Wright State was terrible when he got there. He beat Butler to win the conference tourney in his first year there just 3 years ago.

Good hire, solid coach.