The University of South Florida has a new men's basketball coach in 37-year-old Bryan Hodgson.
At his introductory news conference Friday, Hodgson said his unusual path in life has prepared him to take over the Bulls program.
Hodgson grew up in foster care from when he was three years old to when he was 14. He said that's played a big part in how he coaches and connects with his players.
"Relationships are everything to me,” Hodgson said. “There's not much that a young man is going to bring me during the recruiting process that they dealt with in their life that I can't relate to in some way, shape or form."
Hodgson was an assistant coach for multiple programs, including Buffalo and Alabama, before his first head coaching gig at Arkansas State.
He led the Red Wolves to two straight 20-plus win seasons, including the program's first ever 25-win season this past year.
Hodgson replaces interim coach Ben Fletcher, who took over after the death of Amir Abdur-Rahim last October.
Hodgson says he wants to build on the foundation that Abdur-Rahim started.
"Trust, responsibility, unity, toughness and humility. Amir embodied every single one of these traits, and we will honor him every single day when we step foot in this building by conducting ourselves in the same manner,” Hodgson said.
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One part of Hodgson's resume that he thinks Bulls fans will find impressive is his wins over other American Athletic Conference opponents while he was coaching Arkansas State.
“We beat Memphis, at Memphis, convincingly,” Hodgson said. “We agreed to a home-and-home with UAB. I think they thought that they were scheduling two wins against a lesser opponent in Arkansas State. We beat them at our place last year by 20. We went to their place this year, and we beat them in their building.”
Hodgson says he runs a fast-paced offense that emulates the NBA, similar to the Alabama men's basketball program, where Hodgson served as an assistant coach from 2019-23.
“Who wants to hear that we're going to play really slow, boring basketball?” Hodgson said. “I can tell you this — while everyone may say that to fire up their fan bases, I have never been a part of a coaching staff at the Division I level that has not finished in the top 50 in the country in offensive tempo.”
USF Athletic Director Michael Kelly said he was impressed with Hodgson’s attitude towards the entire university, not just the basketball program.
“He looks at [the university] and kind of buys it, not just to be the CEO of the men's basketball program, but to be a great partner to all of us here in this room and in this university, to make USF continue on this incredible journey and this incredible trajectory that we're on right now," Kelly said.
"With that, [you] just couldn't ask for a better partner.”
