Erik Bakich Was Always At Top of Clemson AD Graham Neff's List

Clemson A.D. Graham Neff told the media on Thursday that former Michigan head coach was always his top choice for replacing the dismissed Monte Lee.

CLEMSON, S.C.- Erik Bakich was Graham Neff's guy from the onset.

On Thursday, Bakich was introduced as Clemson's new head baseball coach, after a very successful, decade-long stint at Michigan, where he guided the Wolverines to the College World Series in 2019. 

Bakich spent a season at Clemson as a volunteer assistant under former head coach Jack Leggett in 2002 before joining Tim Corbin's staff at Vanderbilt. He would then spend three seasons as the head coach at Maryland beginning with the 2010 season, before taking over at Michigan.

Speaking during Bakich's introductory press conference, Clemson A.D. Graham Neff told the media that despite widespread interest in the job, the Leggett protege was always his top candidate.

"We said from the very beginning that we think Clemson baseball is a Top-15 job," Neff said. "Extreme interest in this position. It really speaks to the special place and special programs that Clemson Baseball is."

"Erik's been at the top of our list, or the proverbial list of the right-hand drawer, for certainly these past couple weeks, but if I'm being real honest, many years," Neff said. "Obviously with his ties here, and the success that he's achieved, certainly at Vanderbilt, Maryland and then Michigan reaching the pinnacle with Omaha, so absolutely was an early target."

And despite a very successful tenure at Michigan, Bakich was equally as interested in returning to Clemson.

"He made it very clear he wanted this job right away," Neff said. "He wanted to be the head coach. And so that made it very inspiring about his desire to be here and therefore our pursuit of him matched that." 

After the dismissal of Monte Lee on May 31, Neff made it clear that the Tigers would be looking for not only an established head coach but one that had already shown an ability to produce results. In Bakich, the Tigers are getting a coach well-known for his recruiting prowess, as well as his ability to develop well-rounded players, and Neff is confident his new head coach is the right guy for the job.

"During the search process, some of the things we looked for included an established head coach, which demonstrated success at a big-time program," Neff said. "The ability to recruit and develop all players and a coach of integrity that will invest into the Clemson community and who will connect with the proud lineage and tradition of Clemson Baseball. We feel like we didn't have to compromise in all that, and it all fell in place with coach Bakich. We got an absolute superstar with Eric."

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