Time for something new.

Mar 17, 2019, 8:09 PM

Don’t post much anymore but need to get some things off my chest.

The question the administration/AD should ask themselves first is: Is the men’s basketball program at an acceptable place currently? I’d say the answer is no. Two NCAA appearances in 9 years is not where this program should be, nor is it where it was when Brownell took over.

If there is agreement that the program isn’t where it should be, then the question becomes can Brownell get it there? Two of the past three seasons have been major disappointments. We were top 25 pre-season this year. We invented new ways to lose close games.

It is clear to me that Brownell is a good coach in many ways, and we could (and have) do worse. All the close losses aren’t just bad luck (or bad officiating). Our guys consistently don’t make the plays down the stretch. I was sitting courtside in Charlotte Wednesday. In the second half it was like our guys had a hex on them. Reed missed at least three layups after he’d beat the defense to the hoop. Skara dropped the game winning rebound out of bounds. And then of course, the terrible foul call. But that sort of thing doesn’t just happen once in a while. It happens all the time. Like the last time we played NC State. Our guys consistently don’t have the confidence in themselves to make the plays in crunch time. Ultimately, that goes back to coaching and preparation.

Gabe Devoe’s confidence carried our team last year and we finally won some close games. Now we know that last season was an aberration. The 2019 team was eerily similar in terms of results to the 2017 team. Brownell failed miserably in building off last season’s success, even though four starters came back.

Brownell is a teacher. He makes players better and he’s a good guy. But, he’s not an ACC caliber coach and we gave him more than enough time to get to that level and he just can’t. It’s ridiculous to think that he’s going to finally breakthrough after 11 or 12 years on the job. That’s absurd. This is where he is.

We lose 4 starters next year and now is the time make a change. We need a new coach and a new culture. We need new energy and leadership.

Can Clemson be a blueblood in basketball like Duke and UNC? No. But we can be much better, and we can look at Florida State as an example of a realistic comparison. Sticking with Brownell is delaying the inevitable. With just one (inconsistent) starter returning next year, there is very little doubt Brownell would be fired at the conclusion of the season.

Why not just make the change now? Let’s at least try to get this thing on the right track and not delay another entire year. Sure, there’s risk. But we can’t continue this cycle.

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Time for something new.

Couldn’t agree more***

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