This is the fourth in a series of profiles of potential candidates for Indiana’s open basketball head coaching position.
Candidate: Brad Brownell
Age: 56
Current position, tenure: Clemson head coach since 2010
Previous Jobs: Wright State head coach 2006-10; UNC Wilmington head coach 2002-06; UNC Wilmington assistant coach 1994-2002; UIndy assistant coach 1992-94; Evansville assistant coach 1991-92
Accomplishments: Brownell has taken Clemson to four NCAA Tournaments over his first 14 seasons in charge, and he’s on his way to a fifth appearance this season. His Tigers went to the Sweet 16 in 2018 and the Elite Eight last year. He previously led Wright State to one March Madness appearance and four straight 20-win seasons, and before that he took UNC Wilmington to two NCAA Tournaments in four years. Brownell has accumulated a 452-279 overall record, with a 285-194 record at Clemson.
Why it might work: The most appealing aspect of Brownell’s candidacy is his recent results. Clemson has now won more than 20 games in three straight seasons, a feat the program had only previously achieved from 2007 through 2011. The Tigers landed in the first four out of the NCAA Tournament in 2023, and then lost in the first round of the NIT. But as a No. 6 seed in last season’s Big Dance, they upset third-seeded Baylor and second-seeded Arizona to reach their first Elite Eight in 44 years.
Given how drastically college sports have changed in recent years, it’s noteworthy that Brownell has the Tigers thriving right now. It shows he’s succeeding in the new era of NIL and transfer portal. Clemson’s transfer class this season didn’t earn major plaudits in the offseason, but two of those players — center Viktor Lahkin and guard Jaeden Zackery — are among the team’s top four scorers this year. Brownell, over the past few years, has found the right blend of transfers and high school recruits.
Brownell does also have some Indiana ties. He grew up in Evansville and was high-school teammates with Calbert Cheaney, before attending college at DePauw. Brownell also spent one year as an assistant at Evansville and two at UIndy.
Why it might not work or happen: Brownell has spent a long time at Clemson without having turned the Tigers into a consistent winner. This year (barring a total collapse) will be their first time going to consecutive NCAA Tournaments in his 15 years at the helm. If the Hoosiers hire Brownell, they’re gambling that his likely consecutive NCAA Tournament berths and three appearances in five years are more representative than his two March Madness trips in his first 10 years at Clemson.
Additionally, while Clemson is a major athletic program, the IU job comes with a lot more pressure. Brownell has had some success with the Tigers, but he had time to work through some down years. If that’s how things played out for him at Indiana, would he be able to handle the heat?
Previous profiles:
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