Clemson calling: Can Michigan baseball keep coach Erik Bakich?
Michigan made another improbable postseason run under coach Erik Bakich, winning the Big Ten Tournament and making the regional final. The Wolverines might still be alive if not for some questionable (at best) calls in an 11-9 loss to Louisville last weekend.
RELATED: Michigan baseball eliminated in controversial loss to Louisville
A close play at second should have been the third out of the eighth inning. Instead, the umpire ruled him safe and the replay crew inexplicably upheld the call.
“I haven’t had a chance to see it,” Bakich told reporters after the game. “Had he called him out and Louisville reviewed it, then the call would have probably stayed the same. It has to be conclusive. But yeah, that really sucks.”
But if Clemson gets its way, that might be the last game Bakich coached at Michigan. The Tigers are preparing to throw huge money for Monte Lee’s replacement after the coach missed the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year, and Bakich is on the short list.
“We were told Tuesday night after our original story ran that Bakich is in the mix for the job,” ClemsonSports.com’s Matt Connolly reported. “Bakich has been to the NCAA tournament five times with Michigan, including reaching the College World Series national championship series in 2019.
“He was an assistant at Clemson in 2002 and also spent time working under former Tigers assistant Tim Corbin at Vanderbilt. He’s done an excellent job at Michigan, which is a tough place to win. He also turned around Maryland’s program during his short time there.”
Michigan might need to open the checkbook to keep Bakich
In short, he’s one of the best college baseball coaches in the country. He led Michigan to within a game of a national championship in 2019. With better pitching this year — the team had a 7.01 ERA heading into the postseason — the Wolverines might have made an even deeper run.
They almost did, anyway, before the controversial ending.
Clemson sources have indicated the Tigers might still want to interview Notre Dame’s Link Jarrett once the Fighting Irish’s season is over. They’re playing in the Super Regionals this week. But there does seem to be mutual interest between Bakich and the Tigers.
Bakich has spurned other opportunities in the recent past to remain at Michigan, including Stanford in 2017.
“Quick note to say thank you to Michigan, [athletic director] Warde Manuel, [senior associate athletic director] Bitsy Ritt, our coaches, staff, and players for allowing me to continue to wear the block ‘M’,” Bakich wrote and put in a tweet at the time. “It is an honor and privilege to serve as the head baseball coach. We have so much to be proud of in our 151 year tradition rich program and the future continues to be extremely bright. Those who stay will be champions. Thank you and Go Blue!”
He was given a five-year contract extension with a significant raise, including a $200,000 signing bonus. However, Clemson is thought to be offering well over $1 million — perhaps up to $1.3 million — which could make it tough to keep him. Some close to the program, in fact, believe he’s extremely interested.
Watch TheWolverine.com for more on this situation in the days to come …
