SIAP but this is an article I copied from The State Newspaper:
When Graham Neff let Monte Lee go as Clemson’s head coach on May 31, one of the first people he reached out to was Hall of Fame head coach Jack Leggett. Clemson’s new athletic director was not reaching out to the Tigers’ former head coach to bring him back in that capacity, but he did want to bring Leggett back to Clemson and have him be a part of the baseball program in some capacity. “I was really intentional about it,” Neff said Thursday after Clemson formally introduced Erik Bakich as its new head baseball coach. “I went to see Coach early, with the recognition of his legacy of his time and his players. I just felt like it needed some stitching back together.” Leggett was hurt by the way his time at Clemson came to a sudden end after 22 years on the job in 2015. After leading the Clemson program to six College World Series appearances and 955 wins, he was let go by former athletic director Dan Radakovich. The divorce was a bad one. Leggett stopped coming to games and really never had a relationship with Lee or the baseball program. Clemson tried to repair the relationship a few years back when Leggett was enshrined in the Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame. And though that helped some, it was the gesture Neff recently made to Leggett that really sealed the deal. “That means a lot to me,” Leggett said. “Graham has done an outstanding job running the search and being thorough and doing his due diligence, checking into all options, including me and including our players, including our history of our program and keeping me informed, which I really appreciate.” Though Bakich was not ready to say in what capacity Leggett will be involved in the program, a picture was painted by all three men that Leggett will be a part of the program’s support staff in some way. “That is to be determined by Erik,” Leggett said. “We are going to try and meet tomorrow for a little bit and see where it goes. I am ready and able to do anything. I got energy. I got experience. If he wants to draw on that then I will be ready to help him in any way I can.” Who knows? That might even be in the dugout. Regardless, Leggett, or “Sev” as they say around the Clemson athletic department, is back in Clemson.
When Graham Neff let Monte Lee go as Clemson’s head coach on May 31, one of the first people he reached out to was Hall of Fame head coach Jack Leggett. Clemson’s new athletic director was not reaching out to the Tigers’ former head coach to bring him back in that capacity, but he did want to bring Leggett back to Clemson and have him be a part of the baseball program in some capacity. “I was really intentional about it,” Neff said Thursday after Clemson formally introduced Erik Bakich as its new head baseball coach. “I went to see Coach early, with the recognition of his legacy of his time and his players. I just felt like it needed some stitching back together.” Leggett was hurt by the way his time at Clemson came to a sudden end after 22 years on the job in 2015. After leading the Clemson program to six College World Series appearances and 955 wins, he was let go by former athletic director Dan Radakovich. The divorce was a bad one. Leggett stopped coming to games and really never had a relationship with Lee or the baseball program. Clemson tried to repair the relationship a few years back when Leggett was enshrined in the Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame. And though that helped some, it was the gesture Neff recently made to Leggett that really sealed the deal. “That means a lot to me,” Leggett said. “Graham has done an outstanding job running the search and being thorough and doing his due diligence, checking into all options, including me and including our players, including our history of our program and keeping me informed, which I really appreciate.” Though Bakich was not ready to say in what capacity Leggett will be involved in the program, a picture was painted by all three men that Leggett will be a part of the program’s support staff in some way. “That is to be determined by Erik,” Leggett said. “We are going to try and meet tomorrow for a little bit and see where it goes. I am ready and able to do anything. I got energy. I got experience. If he wants to draw on that then I will be ready to help him in any way I can.” Who knows? That might even be in the dugout. Regardless, Leggett, or “Sev” as they say around the Clemson athletic department, is back in Clemson.
