By Hiring Erik Bakich, Clemson Links Baseball Future with Successful Past

Upon sitting down to announce his first major hire since taking over as Clemson's athletic director in December of 2021, Graham Neff scanned the room at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Thursday.

He acknowledged several Clemson dignitaries before getting to Erik Bakich, who Neff officially hired to take over the proud program. One of the people in attendance who got Neff's attention was Jack Leggett, the former head coach and Hall of Famer who helped guide the Tigers to 21 NCAA tournament appearances in 22 seasons at the helm.

"It's really, really special you being here," Neff said when he looked at Leggett. "It means a lot."

And at that moment, Clemson's past became linked with the Tigers' future. Bakich, who got his start in the profession as a volunteer assistant coach, was back in Clemson for the first time since he left in 2002.

Leggett, who saw his head coaching time end when former AD Dan Radakovich fired him in 2015, was back in the building he helped build for the first time since he left seven years ago.

Hiring Bakich, who mentored under Leggett, who mentored under Clemson legendary coach Bill Wilhelm, was not a coincidence. The Tigers are harkening back echoes of the past.

"I was really intentional about it," Neff told All Clemson. "Before a search process, before I was the new athletic, I worked with Jack for three years. He was a colleague when he was the head baseball coach. We developed a rapport then and stayed in touch. I've been really intentional about, 'Jack, Clemson baseball needs you. Not sure where we're going to go with the program.'

"It's been really healthy. He hasn't over-inserted. Obvioulsy, he recommended we hire Erik but that's not why we hired Erik. We hired Erik because of his credentials and him being the next leader of Clemson baseball. The connectivity with Jack and the Clemson family and the eras, that's a plus. It's not why, but it was certainly a positive for the program."

Clemson baseball has one of the richest traditions in the country. The program ranks in the top 10 nationally all-time in victories. It's made 12 trips to the College World Series and 36 NCAA tournament appearances.

Wilhelm created an honored tradition that's still revered to this day, as he won 1,161 games from 1958-1993 and made six trips to Omaha. Clemson won 17 ACC regular-season titles and seven conference tournaments during that span.

Leggett learned under Wilhelm, and once he took over in 1994, the success continued. He won 955 games as head coach and set a standard that Bakich, who replaced Monte Lee after seven seasons, certainly understands after working for both Leggett and Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin, another member of the Leggett coaching tree.

"Erik is the fourth coach for Clemson baseball in 56 years, so (there's) that legacy from Coach Wilhelm, Coach Leggett, Coach Lee, which was a successful, (ACC) championship-winning era as well, and now to Coach Bakich," Neff said. "For our alums who are here, the former players, that stitching (traditions) together was really important for the health of Clemson baseball and Erik's time here and unique relationships speak to that."

When Lee was hired, the idea was to separate that era. The former South Carolina assistant and former College of Charleston head coach cut his teeth with Ray Tanner, former head coach of Clemson's biggest rival.

That didn't stop Lee from winning the fans over with early success. Clemson won the ACC title in 2016 and reached four consecutive NCAA regionals under Lee, but the Tigers never made it to the Supers or Omaha. Then the program began to slip as it missed the last two NCAA tournaments.

That was part of the reason Neff wanted to make a change, so he went to Leggett for advisement. The decision was ultimately made by Neff to move on from Lee, and Bakich was quickly identified as a guy who could get Clemson back to its postseason ways.

He took Michigan to the within a victory from the national title at the 2019 CWS, and he had the Wolverines back in the NCAAs in 2022, but the timing and opportunity were there for him to come back to Clemson, which hasn't been to the CWS since 2010.

It was too much to pass up, and now Bakich looks to bring back some of the teachings, fundamentals and passion for the game he learned from Leggett.

"I’ve only been a part of one coaching tree and that’s the Jack Leggett coaching tree," Bakich said. "I’m really proud of that."

Clemson's leaning hard into this theme. And it's a logical strategy. The legacies of Wilhelm and Leggett should be modeled, and Bakich's success at other stops gives the Tigers a good feeling about getting back to postseason success along with tying it all together.

"It makes me feel welcomed back," Leggett said about being invited to the introductory press conference. "I know the hands the program is in right now and I feel good about it."

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