CLEMSON — It’s only fitting that if Clemson is to return to the College World Series for the first time in 14 years, it is going to have to go through an old friend to do it.

The sixth overall seed Tigers will host Florida in the Clemson Super Regional this weekend at Doug Kingsmore Stadium with a spot in the College World Series on the line. The Gators’ head coach is Kevin O’Sullivan, who coached at Clemson for nine seasons (1999-2007) as an assistant under Hall of Famer Jack Leggett.

This is the second week in a row one of Leggett’s former assistants is returning to Clemson. Last week, Tim Corbin brought his Vanderbilt Commodores to the Clemson Regional, though the reunion with Leggett and current head coach Erik Bakich never materialized on the field.

Vandy was eliminated in two games thanks to losses to Coastal Carolina and High Point.

Of course, Corbin, O’Sullivan and Bakich were all assistant coaches for Leggett on Clemson’s 2002 team that posted a 51-18 record and finished third in the CWS.

“It was one of those things that you kind of knew might happen,” said Leggett, who now serves as a development coach under Bakich. “You have a lot of SEC schools in the area whether it is South Carolina, Florida, Vanderbilt, and with as many SEC teams that there is (in the tournament), they are going to be in one of these regionals together somewhere.

“So, I knew it was a possibility.”

Leggett will be excited to see O’Sullivan, as will Bakich, who shared a small office with O’Sullivan and Corbin during the 2002 season. However, when 2 p.m. on Saturday rolls around, none of that will matter.

“When you get out on the field, somebody has to go home unhappy, and you just hope it is not you,” Leggett said.

O’Sullivan was Leggett’s pitching coach on three Clemson teams that advanced to the CWS – the 2000, 2002 and 2006 teams. During his tenure as Leggett’s pitching coach and later as his associate head coach, 29 of his pitchers at Clemson were selected in the MLB Draft.

In 2007, he left Clemson for Florida and has arguably become the greatest head coach the Gators’ program has had. He has compiled a 712-347 record in 18 seasons and has taken the program to eight College World Series appearances, while advancing to the CWS finals three times and winning it all in 2017.

Last year, the Gators lost to LSU in the championship series. Florida had been to five CWS before O’Sullivan made his way to Gainesville.

“I am so proud of them,” Leggett said about his former coaches who have gone on to be successful head coaches. “Once you get associated with me, whether you like it or not, you are stuck with me for the rest of my life because if you are loyal, work hard and have a great relationship, I will do anything for you. I will help you in any way that I can. I am in your life forever.

“These three guys will always be in my life. It is one of those things where I will do anything for either one of them. I would run through a wall for either one of them. I think we have mutual respect that way. I think they would probably do the same thing. We are all interconnected and always will be.”

Clemson Super Regional Schedule

Saturday

Game 1: Florida vs. Clemson, 2 p.m., ESPN. (Clemson will be the designated home team)

Sunday

Game 2: Clemson vs. Florida, 2:30 p.m., ESPN (Florida will be the designated home team)

Monday

Game 3: Florida vs. Clemson, if necessary, time and TV TBD, (Clemson will be the designated home team)

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