Opening day is always an exciting time at Clemson, but today’s 4 p.m. start against Maine at Doug Kingsmore Stadium will be a little different than most. For just the third time since 1958, Clemson will open a baseball season with a different head coach than the year before.

The Monte Lee era will officially begin when sophomore starter Charlie Barnes throws his first pitch sometime after four o’clock.

“There is a different vibe with the new coaching staff. But they’re good vibes,” Clemson’s All-American catcher Chris Okey said. “We are all excited about this year and we know the coaches are, too. We open up against a good team and we are all ready to get going.”

For Lee, who spent the last seven seasons at the College of Charleston, this moment is all surreal. He grew up in South Carolina and remembers when Bill Wilhelm ran the Clemson program back in the day before Lee’s predecessor, Jack Leggett, took it over for 22 ago.

Clemson’s new skipper says he draws inspiration on how to handle a day like today from a conversation he had seven years ago with Louisville head coach Dan McDonald, who had just completed his first season there at the time.

“He said, ‘Enjoy your first year because it is going to be like a whirlwind. You are going to have so much thrown at you at one time and it is going to seem like a blur, but just try to enjoy it because you will learn a lot about yourself and your team in year one,’” Lee recalled about the conversation. “I really took that to heart. I have tried to enjoy every day that I have been here.

“Yes, there have been stressful days and there have been long days. There have been days that I feel like I’m running around with my head cut off trying to figure it all out. But, even on days when I have felt overwhelmed, I have tried to enjoy it.”

And that’s what he will do today. He will enjoy watching his new baseball team compete for the first time in what should be a packed house at The Doug.

“This will be an opportunity to look at where you are at. Look at the opportunity you have and look at the people that you have around you to help you. Also, it’s an opportunity to look around and to see just how special Clemson really is,” Lee said.

If you haven’t already order your copy today of Guts & Glory – Tales of Clemson’s Historic 2015 Football Season to help you celebrate and remember this special season.