Let's face it... we all knew this day was just around the corner.
It would be rare to find a person that did a double-take when the news came down this morning that Brad Brownell had agreed to become the next men's basketball coach at Clemson University. Maybe where was never a certainty in terms of Brownell's coaching future, but when was as sure as a "sure thing" gets.
In just four seasons, Brownell took the Wright State men's basketball program from a meddling also-ran, to a consistent contender for the Horizon League crown. During his four-year stint, the Raiders had a combined record of 84-45. In the four years prior to Brownell's tenure, which featured the final season of Ed Schilling's six-year term as head coach, along with Paul Biancardi's three seasons at the helm... the Raiders were a mere 52-62.
It's no secret, however, that a coach's success in the Horizon League will often times be measured by his record against Butler. Brownell's was 3-8, better than any other coach in the Horizon League during his four seasons at Wright State. During that same four-year span, Cleveland State's Gary Waters and Loyola's Jim Whitesell have notched two wins against Butler, Milwaukee's Rob Jeter and UIC's Jimmy Collins have one, and former Green Bay head coach, Tod Kowalczyk, also had one.
The public will likely point to Brownell's first season at Wright State (2006-07) as his best, but they would be mistaken. Sure, the Raiders made their first trip to the NCAA Tournament in 14 years, but they also had Horizon League Player of the Year, DaShaun Wood, on the roster. Everyone knew that team had talent, and only needed some direction to become a contender. Brownell's first group helped prove the pundits right by claiming the Horizon League regular season and tournament championship. To me, Brownell's best coaching exhibition came just two seasons ago (2008-09) when his team opened the season 0-6. During that stretch, All-Horizon League performer, Vaughn Duggins, was lost for the season due to injury. Later that year, John David Gardner was forced to the sidelines due to injury. Yet, Wright State still won 20 games... just as they did each of the last four years. In terms of points allowed per game, 2008-09 was also Brownell's best effort at Wright State, with his team only allowing 57.5 point per game, which ranked 5th nationally. As anyone who follows the Horizon League knows, however, scoring 60 on Wright state — at any point the last four seasons — was an accomplishment.
Brownell is often described as a "grinder" and his teams are a true representation of that moniker. My experiences with Coach Brownell have been few, but one run-in will always stick out in my mind.
I can remember trying to track down Brownell prior to a Horizon League contest at the Nutter Center late in the 2008-09 season. I was trying to get a few quick words with him to preview their game which was less than an hour from tip-off. Once I was given access, I made my way back toward the locker room area. I opened the door to a lounge-type room, and inside Coach Brownell was sitting on a couch with his eyes fixated on a television screen. Davidson was playing College of Charleston, and my entering the room didn't result in even the slightest flinch from him. Eventually he snapped out of it, and we had a great conversation (we always did...he loved HLN). That impression was lasting, and there's no question the man eats, sleeps, and breathes basketball.
Clemson got a good one. A really, really good one.
With Brownell exiting, a door has opened for a new man to take the reigns at Wright State. It appears the school's administration isn't wasting any time either, as reports have already surfaced that Associate Head Coach, Billy Donlon, will take over the program first thing Wednesday morning and become a head coach for the first time in his young career. While Donlon, 33, may not have experience as a head coach, he's surely learned from one of the best these past eight years (four at UNC-Wilmington, four at Wright State). Not to mention Brownell has, in the past, publicly stated that Donlon was ready to be a head coach.
Now, Donlon will have his own program. All it took was his mentor moving on for that dream to become a reality. Thankfully, for Donlon and Wright State, Brownell didn't completely empty the cupboards before he left.
