Former Alabama basketball assistant Bryan Hodgson has been hired as head coach at South Florida, the school announced Monday.
The 37-year-old Hodgson, a Crimson Tide assistant under Nate Oats from 2019-23, spent the last two seasons as head coach at Arkansas State. The Red Wolves were 45-28 in that time, including a share of the Sun Belt Conference regular-season title and an NIT berth this year.
“We are thrilled to welcome Bryan Hodgson as the next head coach of USF men’s basketball,” USF athletics director Michael Kelly said. “Bryan has been a part of winning programs at every level, demonstrating a remarkable ability to recruit top talent, develop players, and build championship-caliber teams. His passion, energy, and vision for USF basketball align perfectly with our commitment to excellence.
“We believe he is the right leader to take this program to new heights, and we can’t wait to see his impact on our student-athletes and the Tampa Bay community.”
Hodgson replaces Ben Fletcher, who served as interim coach this season following the sudden death of Amir Abdur-Rahim in October. The Bulls went 13-19 in 2024-25, including 6-12 in American Athletic Conference play.
A native of Olean, N.Y., Hodgson was an assistant under Oats at both Buffalo and Alabama. He was lead recruiter from the Crimson Tide, largely responsible for landing such players as Brandon Miller and Noah Clowney.
Hodgson’s name also surfaced Monday in connection with the opening at UNLV, with at least one report indicating he had already accepted the job. He is instead headed to Tampa, where he’ll compete in the same conference as schools such as Memphis, UAB and Tulane.
“I am incredibly honored and excited to be the head coach at the University of South Florida,” Hodgson said. “From my first conversations with Michael Kelly and the USF leadership, it was clear that this place is strongly committed to building a winning culture.
“We are Tampa Bay’s Home for Hoops, and I can’t wait to work with our student-athletes, staff, and the passionate Bulls fan base, including the SoFlo Rodeo! We will play with energy, toughness, and a relentless drive to compete at the highest level. I can’t wait to get started!”