CLEMSON — Brad Brownell did not hide the fact he spoke to Indiana about its head coaching vacancy in men’s basketball.

It is not surprising Clemson’s long-time head coach had some interest in the job. A native of Evansville, Ind., he grew up an Indiana Hoosiers fan. He was a fan of Bob Knight’s ability to draw up Xs and Os and had teams that executed them flawlessly.

It all makes sense.

But there was one thing when talking to Indiana that Brownell also knew. Indiana was not Clemson.

Brownell and Clemson officially agreed to a new six-year deal worth $27.5 million on April 25, 2025. His new contract has all the bells and whistles most contracts do… bonus incentives, company cars, fringe benefits, termination terms and buyouts.

The new contract also has a very unique clause.

Should Brownell terminate employment as head coach prior to the end of the agreement he has the option to step down as head coach and become “Special Assistant/Advisor to the Athletic Director” for the remainder of the term of this agreement for a period not to exceed four years at an annual salary of $250,000.

Brownell must exercise this option by April 15th of each year.

“It is certainly unique,” Clemson athletic director Graham Neff told The Clemson Insider. “Brad is the one who brought that forward. It is indictive of his time here at Clemson for sixteen years and how he wants to continue and then write a different chapter to the end of his career at the right time down the road, which I hope is awhile from now.”

Brownell’s role as “Special Assistant to the AD” shall include assisting Clemson University, including IPTAY, with fundraising and revenue generating opportunities, while also assisting as an advisor to the Director of Athletics.

“It is not like I am still not hungry and do not want to do this,” Brownell said to TCI. “I have bigger goals and dreams ahead that I want to get accomplished. But when I had a discussion with Indiana, I knew that was something that would be different.

“I knew Indiana would not offer me anything like that, it would just be coaching.”

One of the things Brownell loves about Clemson is its family atmosphere and sense of community. He appreciates the relationship he has with Neff, Clemson President Jim Clements and the leadership of the administrative staff and the university’s board of trustees.

“It is unique, and this is not a fit for everybody. But when you have a coach of that caliber as a basketball coach, let alone of the accomplishments Brad has had, and he wants to have a chapter in that career instead of wanting to go play golf, you do not say no,” Neff said. “It was not a financial play. It shows the commitment Brad has to Clemson. It is more than just being the basketball coach at Clemson to him.”

Brownell is the winningest basketball coach in Clemson history with 292 wins. The Tigers have reached the NCAA Tournament five times, including four in the last eight seasons that have culminated in a Sweet 16 appearance in 2018 and an Elite Eight in 2024 – one of just 20 schools to accomplish those feats in separate seasons since 2018.

“I told Graham, I do not know if I can coach seven to ten more years. If there comes a time, in this crazy new world and I ever decide to quit, and I was younger, I might want to do some things where I can still help the university whether it is fund raising or helping the coaches and just doing things with Graham and the university,” Brownell said. “I have been here a long time, and I have built a lot of positive relationships with folks.

“I love Clemson, and I want to be able to give back. I still want to have some purpose in my life. It is just something that was talked about.”

The Tigers won a school record 27 games in 2024-25, including wins over AP Top 5 teams Kentucky and Duke. Clemson finished 18-2 in the ACC – the most conference wins in school history, including a record 15 by double-digits (third-most in ACC history).

Clemson finished 9-1 on the road in league play, four more ACC road wins than any previous season. The Tigers’ 90-percent win percentage was also a program record in ACC play.

“I know some other coaches who have done that over the years and Graham was excited about it,” Brownell said. “We have a really good relationship, and it goes beyond basketball.”

Clemson has won 74 games over the last three seasons, the most in program history, while also posting a .717 (43-17) win percentage in the ACC over that same period – the highest in consecutive seasons in program history. Since 2017-’18, the Tigers are fourth in the ACC in wins (168) and fourth in league wins (90).

This past season marked the third consecutive year Clemson produced an All-ACC First-Team performer (Chase Hunter, 2025, PJ Hall, 2024 and Hunter Tyson, 2023).

“It is a win-win all the way around,” Neff said.