TAMPA, Fla. (March 28, 2025) – Bryan Hodgson, USF's new men's basketball coach, said he sees no limits for the program.

"I've coached in the SEC and been all over to the best facilities in college basketball — and they don't have anything this place (USF) doesn't have,'' said Hodgson, 37, as he gazed around the Muma Basketball Center, site of Friday's news conference and formal introduction before a packed house of fired-up donors, boosters, and athletic staff members.

"USF basketball is going to become a household name in the college hoops world.''

Hodgson said USF not only has great facilities but also an enlightened approach to becoming a "model athletic program for modern times," as Vice President for Athletics Michael Kelly puts it. This includes specific plans to address Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL), the transfer portal, and the impending debut of direct compensation to athletes.

"We're ahead of the game,'' Hodgson said.

Most of all, though, Hodgson said USF Athletics has the right people in place.

In his second season as Arkansas State head coach, Hodgson led the Red Wolves to a program-record 25 victories (including wins against Memphis and UAB) and an offense that produced 79.4 points per game (and a program-record 2,019 points), plus a berth in the National Invitation Tournament. That naturally attracted attention, so Hodgson had multiple head coaching offers, including a few interview opportunities left on the table.

So why USF?

"From my first conversation with Michael Kelly and (senior associate athletic director) Lee Butler … I like to think that I'm a good evaluator of people, and that conversation just struck home,'' said Hodgson, a former assistant under Coach Nate Oats at Buffalo and Alabama. "I did my research (on USF) and I just fell in love. My fiancée (Jordan Norris), she was right there with me, and this is where we wanted to be. We just knew.''

It's where CJ Brown wants to be, as well.

Brown, USF's high-flying guard who made the American Athletic Conference All-Freshman Team, said he decided to stay with the Bulls. After initially saying he was entering the transfer portal (with USF as an option) — and hearing from nearly 100 schools — Brown said his meeting with Hodgson convinced him to remain at USF.

"I am definitely excited for myself and for this program as a whole,'' Brown said. "Coach Hodgson, no matter where he has been, always has a top 50-level offense and he pays attention to the defensive end as well. I think great things are ahead.''

Brown committed to USF during the 2023-24 season, when the Bulls thrived in Coach Amir Abdur-Rahim's debut. Abdur-Rahim led USF to a 25-7 mark, the American Athletic Conference's regular-season championship, the program's first national ranking, and a 15-game winning streak.

After Abdur-Rahim's tragic death on Oct. 24, 2024, USF's program moved forward under interim head coach Ben Fletcher. The Bulls finished 13-19 and were eliminated in the American Athletic Conference Tournament's opening round.

But Hodgson—with respect to Abdur-Rahim and Fletcher—said the program's successful foundation has been laid.

"This isn't a rebuild,'' Hodgson said. "Coach Amir did a phenomenal job, and the foundation is here. We're going to do our best to continue what he started and build on that momentum.

"It's important to me, not just because of what Coach Amir did as a basketball coach, but who he was as a human being. We want to embody the things that Coach Amir did on a daily basis and represent this program and him in the proper manner. I'm so proud to be here and be part of what he started. That's not something that I take lightly. This is very, very exciting.''

USF officials shared Hodgson's excitement.
 
"We were fortunate to experience a championship season in men's basketball here at USF (in 2023-24), and we all saw the incredible enthusiasm it generates for the university,'' USF president Rhea Law said. "We want to get back there and have that sustained level of excellence. Bryan's record of success, together with his understanding of the importance of strengthening the ties with our community, gives us every confidence that we have found the right person to lead our men's basketball program.''

"Passion and infectious energy are attributes you can't discount when it comes to on-court success,'' said Will Weatherford, chair of USF's Board of Trustees. "In the ever-changing landscape of college athletics, that need for passion and energy has never been more important. Coach Amir taught us that. Coach Hodgson has it in spades.''
When Kelly began the USF coaching search, he was attracted by a number of compelling factors.

• Hodgson's fascinating backstory. Hodgson entered the foster care system at age one and said he was adopted into a home where some 100 children passed through during his formative years. It taught Hodgson how to interact with people from various backgrounds, an invaluable skill in recruiting and engaging with community members. Hodgson also serves as a mentor for children through Big Brothers Big Sisters and his own nonprofit.
• Winning, of course. Hodgson helped Oats turn around the programs at Buffalo and Alabama, while taking Arkansas State into practically uncharted territory (its first NIT in 34 years) during his first Division I head-coaching opportunity.
• Style of play. Hodgson's Red Wolves relentlessly attacked with an up-tempo pace of play, 3-point shooting, and a high-energy approach on both ends of the court.

"I believe in an exciting style of play,'' Kelly said. "I know our fans like that, too. But more important, what style do the players want to play? And how does it prepare them for (potential) NBA careers? When you can combine winning basketball, entertaining basketball, and something the players believe can help them program toward their dream of the NBA, that's what this offense does.

"That's what Bryan Hodgson has done as a 37-year-old head coach. To see the number of NBA players (he has helped produce), to see the success he had being part of a staff and leading a staff, to see a proven coach who is an elite recruiter, that's just a really great trajectory.''

What does it look like? What does it feel like?

Thursday night, Hodgson entertained a recruit by watching the NCAA East Region semifinal game between Alabama (coached by Oats, his old boss) and Brigham Young. Alabama prevailed 113-88 in a stunning, dizzying display that featured the Crimson Tide shooting 53 percent overall and 25-for-51 from 3-point range while dishing 27 assists.

"Did you like that?'' Hodgson asked a media member, who wondered if USF's style would mirror Alabama's approach. "That was a lot of fun, right? Well, we're going to be doing the same thing.

"We (Arkansas State) had the No. 1 offense in the history of the Sun Belt Conference in terms of efficiency. Nate Oats is one of the best basketball minds in college basketball and he's on his way to potentially his second Final Four in two years after taking over a program that had never been there. We played that way at Arkansas State. We had a lot of success there. We're going to do the same thing here at South Florida.''

About USF Athletics
USF Athletics sponsors 21 varsity teams, with 20 competing at the NCAA Division I level in the American Athletic Conference, including the recent additions of women's lacrosse and women's beach volleyball. The Bulls' athletic program, founded in 1965, is in its 59^th season.

Nearly 500 student-athletes train and compete in the Tampa General Hospital Athletics District on the east end of USF's Tampa campus. The Bulls have won 152 conference titles across 16 sports, with 81 men's championships and 71 women's championships. Men's tennis and men's soccer lead with 20 titles each, while women's programs have been headlined by women's tennis (14) and volleyball (13). Since joining the American Athletic Conference in 2013, USF has secured 35 conference team titles.

Academically, USF student-athletes have achieved a program-record 20 consecutive semesters with a combined GPA of 3.0 or above as of fall 2024. Since 2015, more than 750 Bulls have earned their degrees.

Follow South Florida Athletics
For the latest updates from USF Athletics, visit GoUSFBulls.com. Follow USF Athletics on Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
 
Get your tickets today!
Call 1-800-GO-BULLS (1-800-462-8557) or email BullsTickets@usf.edu to claim your season or single-game tickets. You can also download the USF Bulls app on the Android or Apple stores to purchase tickets and parking. Visit USFBullsTix.com for more information.