Over the next two to three weeks Clemson Athletic Director Dan Radakovich will have to make a final decision about whether Clemson head coach Jack Leggett will return next season as the head coach of the Tigers. Let me share what I think should happen with the Clemson baseball program.

First, there is no doubt the 2015 season has not been a good one for the Tigers on the field. The season is not over, but unless the Tigers can find some magic in Durham and win the ACC Tournament, this season will certainly be classified as a major disappointment.

Dan Radakovich sent a clear message following the 2014 season that improvements were needed in the baseball program. The results this season have not been an improvement by any means. So the decision is easy right? Not so fast.

The decision should not be based only on how the 2015 season has gone, but what gives Clemson the best chance for success in the future.

Will Clemson have a better chance of success with Coach Leggett, who has proven in the past that he can take teams to Omaha and be on the doorstep of a national championship, or should the program be turned over to the next “up-and-coming coach.” For those thinking that a big-name coach like Tim Corbin or Kevin O’Sullivan will return to Clemson is not going to happen. We have plenty of confirmation that neither would return to Clemson.

Things have changed dramatically since 2010 and the competitive landscape for Clemson is much different now than it was in 2009. In the past week, we have documented some of those challenges in recent articles.

Head football coach Dabo Swinney is concerned now about a difference of up to $3,000 with some schools with the new Cost of Attendance.  Coach Leggett and the Tigers are having to compete for recruits where other schools can save a family $15,000 or $20,000 a year at times. As we documented there is no short term fix for that problem.

We have also documented over the past few years how Clemson has been at a major disadvantage with player facilities compared to a number of schools in the ACC and the Southeast. The Tigers are in the process of fixing that issue. Unfortunately, that did not help the team this year in fact they had to use a locker room in Jervey this season. The locker room was supposed to be ready for Opening Day, but it is still not complete and won’t be until the off-season.

Radakovich has decided to give Brownell more time with the Tigers while the upgrade to the basketball arena occurs.  Does Hall of Fame coach Jack Leggett not deserve the same opportunity?

For those that don’t know, the new baseball facility was built with the help of contributions from a number of Leggett’s former players. Should Leggett really be forced out before the building is complete? Shouldn’t he been given a chance to see how he can improve recruiting with the new facility?  Sure he should.

Coach Leggett’s reputation has helped Clemson land a number of the top prospects currently on the roster. Chris Okey, Matthew Crownover, Tyler Krieger and Steven Duggar have all said that No. 7 is a big reason they decided to come to Clemson. If the Tigers bring in an “up-and-coming coach” they will lose this recruiting advantage that is critical in today’s landscape with the other challenges Clemson faces.

Changes are needed in the program in my opinion, but not at the top. The biggest issue with the 2015 team is clear, the pitching staff. The Tigers have had major injuries in the bullpen with Patrick Andrews missing the season and closer Drew Moyer missing significant time as well. Had the Tigers gotten better play from the pen they would easily have won five or more games already and might be in a safe position for another NCAA tournament appearance.

The challenge for the Tigers in the current landscape is to build enough quality depth to handle significant injuries to one part of the roster. This year the team has not been able to overcome that obstacle.

Player development is a major issue with the pitching staff. That is a common theme I have heard for several years from pitchers that have played for the Tigers under pitching coach Dan Pepicelli. Calling pitches is also another concern. Earlier this season the Tigers handed those duties over to Chris Okey behind the plate.

The Tigers need to go out and find the “Chad Morris” of pitching coaches. We all saw how Coach Morris was able to turn the Clemson offense around and in turn elevate the Clemson football program. This will take some investment from the Athletic Department, but this would certainly improve the product we are seeing on the field for the Tigers.

Leggett of course had the opportunity to make this change last season and he did not. That shouldn’t prevent Clemson from making this move now if it is the best move for the program.

Some question whether Leggett still has “the fire.”  Anyone that has been around the program knows he still has that fire in his belly and wants to win more than anyone. I’ve seen that fire in person a number of times this season. Leggett hasn’t lost his desire to win and he hasn’t forgotten how to coach. He will be coaching somewhere for years to come trying to take another team back to Omaha if it comes to that.

In summary the best decision for Clemson is to keep Leggett and bring in a strong pitching coach. See how Leggett can do with the new facility, the academic common market and a new pitching coach in the new landscape of college baseball. The chances of success are higher with Leggett than gambling with a new “up-and-coming coach.” Things this year are not up to the standards Clemson is used to, but they certainly could be a lot worse, and my fear is what would happen with a new coach facing the same issues that exist for the Tigers.

Regardless of what Dan Radakovich decides to do with Leggett, Bradley LeCroy should be retained. The Tigers have an outstanding 2015 class ready to enroll this summer. LeCroy receives very high marks from the Clemson recruits and parents.  Bradley has made waves in the state of South Carolina since he arrived and in-state recruiting is critical with the advantages other schools have.  With a state of the art player facility in hand and a few academic common markets spots available coach LeCroy should be able to reach even high levels recruiting for the Tigers.  Coach LeCroy’s impact on Clemson’s baseball recruiting is similar to Jeff’s Scott’s with football.