Monte Lee knows as well as anyone that last season’s performance fell well below what’s expected of Clemson’s baseball team. The Tigers’ coach is also heading into his seventh season at the helm with a new boss evaluating the direction of the program.
Clemson athletic director Dan Radakovich hired Lee from the College of Charleston in 2016 to replace Hall of Fame coach Jack Leggett, whom Radakovich fired after 22 seasons at Clemson. Radakovich has since left for the same job at the University of Miami, but Clemson found a familiar replacement by promoting deputy athletic director Graham Neff to be the new czar of the athletic department.
Neff takes over his new role at a time when the baseball program is looking to rebound from one of the worst seasons in its history. Clemson went 27-29 last spring, making for its first losing season since 1957. Lee recently referred to just the second season in the last 35 that Clemson hasn’t played in the NCAA Tournament (not counting the COVID-impacted 2020 season) as “absolute hell.”
As for the future, Lee said he and Neff have yet to have any detailed conversations about this season or what Neff’s expectations are for the program. Clemson will begin the 2022 season with a three-game home series against Indiana starting Feb. 18.
The Tigers have played in four regionals during Lee’s tenure, including three as a host, but have yet to win one. The last time Clemson advanced beyond a regional was during its most recent run to the College World Series in 2010.
“If you ever become a head coach for the first time, the first 90 days on the job, you feel like you don’t even have an opportunity to breathe,” Lee said. “That’s how Graham feels right now being an athletic director for the first time. The adjustment from one desk to the next, it’s an absolute whirlwind. So quite honestly, I haven’t spent a whole lot of time with Graham because he’s got a lot of things he’s got to focus on adjusting from an associate AD to an AD.”
Lee said he does have a scheduled meeting with Neff “coming up soon,” but that’s not specific to baseball. Lee said Neff, who’s been in his new role for less than month, plans to meet with all of the school’s head coaches at some point.
“I look forward to being able to spend some time with him,” Lee said. “I will tell you this, Graham is a baseball guy. Graham loves baseball. And Graham and I talk baseball quite a good bit. I see him a lot because we live in the same neighborhood.”
Lee said he feels like shares the opinion of other coaches in being excited about Neff being in charge.
“He’s a tremendous leader and all of us are pretty pumped he got the job,” Lee said. “I’ve tried to leave him alone because I know he’s been awfully busy here lately.”
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