Clemson coach stands by NET, Big 12 review

• Jeff Legwold, ESPN Senior WriterMar 23, 2024, 04:58 PM ET

  Close

  Jeff Legwold is a senior writer who covers the Denver Broncos and the NFL at ESPN. Jeff has actually covered the Broncos for more than 20 years, joining ESPN in 2013. He likewise assists with NFL draft protection, including his yearly leading 100 prospects. Jeff has actually belonged to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Board of Selectors considering that 1999. He has actually participated in every searching combine considering that 1987.

MEMPHIS, Tenn.– A bit more than 24 hours before Clemson will face Baylor in the second round of the NCAA competition, Tigers coach Brad Brownell waited his assessment that the NCAA’s competition choice committee needs to resolve what he believes was an adjustment of some of the numbers that assisted the Big 12 get so many bids.Brownell said in late February on Clemson’s flagship radio station that Big 12 groups had adjusted their schedules to play weaker nonleague games and beat weaker opponents by larger margins. Those margins are shown in metrics that are included in the internet, the NCAA Assessment Tool utilized by the choice committee to help rank teams and the quality of their wins and losses.The Big 12, where Baylor plays, had a tournament-most eight quotes in this year’s tournament while the ACC, where Clemson plays, had 5.”Yeah, and it was in no disrespect to the [Huge 12]

, but I do think they figured some things out,”Brownell said Saturday at FedEx Forum.” I think it was more a compliment than anything. I believe there are a lot of groups in their league that scheduled in such a way that helped their internet.” There’s different ways to do it, you can arrange truly tough games and ideally

try and win those games, “he continued.” Or, you know, it appears, you can arrange some groups that aren’t possibly as good and beat them by a lot and pad your offensive and defensive efficiency numbers. And I wasn’t stating anything that hadn’t already been put out there, not only by other coaches in our league, but some media people had figured it out. And I do think that’s an issue, it’s an issue with the system and we really require to take a look at it. This tournament is too crucial to too many people. “Brownell also referenced the 2022-23 season when Clemson was neglected of the NCAA tournament after a 23-11 finish. Brownell said he believes a better look needs to be offered to a few of the strength of schedule metrics in addition to the offensive and protective efficiency metrics. “Again, I have all the respect in the world for the committee

, [but] our heart was broken last year being overlooked,”Brownell stated. “And among the things was punished for was our nonconference strength of schedule. Now that’s hard too because in 2015 at this time I was arguing your nonconference strength of schedule shouldn’t matter as much as just your total strength of schedule. Whatever your overall strength of schedule, that’s what it is, if you’re playing in a really hard league, like the Big 12 or the ACC, you might not wish to schedule over your head in November and December, the season’s difficult enough.”Baylor coach Scott Drew was asked Saturday about Brownell’s remarks from earlier this season and offered”Every coach thinks, whatever league they are in, thinks their league is difficult and the best league … I understand we have enough to be focused about, beginning with a well-coached team and excellent players.”