South Florida basketball and Arkansas State got involved in wild head coaching news Monday. With UNLV also in the center as the Rebels look for their own new head coach during March Madness.
Bryan Hodgson appeared to be heading to UNLV Monday morning. The Rebels looked set on landing a past Nate Oats assistant from Alabama. However, CBS Sports college basketball insider Jon Rothstein dropped a completely different report before 5 p.m. PT involving the Arkansas State head coach.
“Sources: South Florida will hire Arkansas State’s Bryan Hodgson as its next head basketball coach,” Rothstein posted on X.
Then, Pete Nakos of On3 confirmed USF is indeed luring in Hodgson. But added UNLV was in the picture.
“USF has hired Arkansas State’s Bryan Hodgson. Sources tell On3 Sports that UNLV was in the final steps of hiring Hodgson, with plans for an announcement tonight/tomorrow and a donor get together in the works,” Nakos revealed. “USF ultimately put together the more compelling offer.”
Hodgson is taking over a program that stumbled to 13-19 under Ben Fletcher. That mark became a far different result compared to the 25-8 season under Amir Abdur-Rahim. The past Crimson Tide assistant and recruiter brings a winning resume over to the Bulls. Hodgson is 45-28 overall in two seasons with the Red Wolves.
Who UNLV could target after Bryan Hodgson, South Florida move
But now UNLV must pivot back to a new list of candidates to replace Kevin Kruger, who was fired after going 74-55 in Sin City. None of Kruger’s Rebels teams won the Mountain West Conference title or clinched a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
The Las Vegas Sun reported Florida assistant Carlin Hartman as one potential candidate on Friday. Sun reporter Mike Grimala revealed if there’s contact between both parties.
“Hartman has been contacted by UNLV, according to a source, and another source confirmed Hartman is interested in pursuing the job,” Grimala shared. “It’s unknown how many candidates the university is in contact with.”
Other names are likely to sprout for UNLV due to their new availability. Former Texas and Fresno State head coach Rodney Terry is out there. Terry led the latter university to the 2016 Mountain West Conference title.
Ex-Georgia Tech head coach Josh Pastner shared he’s got a desire to return to coaching to The Sporting News on March 14. The 47-year-old led Memphis to four March Madness appearances and one with Georgia Tech in 2020-21.
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