John Romano: Even with an NCAA loss, USF is a program on the rise. (Potentially)

John Romano, Tampa Bay Times on Mar 20, 2026

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The season has ended for USF’s basketball team, and that’s regrettable.

It was, by no means, a star-studded group but it was imminently fascinating. These Bulls played an unselfish, high-energy, relentless brand of basketball that turned heads and warmed hearts.

The bigger question, however, is whether USF’s momentum ends with this team.

Because that would be devastating.

USF fell short of Louisville 83-79 in Buffalo, N.Y., on Thursday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Bulls dug themselves a huge hole, and then spent the last 10 minutes of the game reminding you why you enjoyed following them so much because of their refusal to give up.

But once the final whistle blew, it was officially time to ponder the future.

Or, to put it another way, to wonder about coach Bryan Hodgson’s future.

Three years into his head coaching career, there is little doubt that Hodgson is a star-in-waiting. He’s taken over two underachieving programs at Arkansas State and USF and immediately turned them into conference champions. He has an enviable knack for recruiting and seems to inspire devotion among his players.

Which means other universities — with richer, more established basketball programs — are going to come calling.

According to reports out of western New York, Syracuse offered him a job already, and Hodgson said no. Providence is apparently sniffing around. It’s not a stretch to imagine other athletic directors familiarizing themselves with Hodgson’s references and resume.

If Hodgson were to leave so quickly after arriving, it wouldn’t doom the program but it would be a huge loss. The 2025-26 roster was senior-heavy — seniors accounted for 62.5% of the minutes played against Louisville — and there’s no telling how many underclassmen might look into the transfer portal if Hodgson leaves.

Which means it’s imperative that USF figures out a way to keep him.

A hefty raise would be a start, but that’s not the only issue. Putting money into the budget for the name, image and likeness (NIL) fund could be the deciding factor. Hodgson mentioned several times this week that former Arkansas State players Izaiyah Nelson and Joseph Pinion left money on the table to follow their coach to USF. After Thursday’s loss, he suggested they both could have tripled their earnings at another school.

Hodgson said this in praise of their loyalty, but it could also be interpreted as a message to USF administration. You can’t expect to continually get high-caliber players — and Nelson and Pinion were both among USF’s top three scorers and top four rebounders — if your NIL fund is not competitive.

Hodgson, 38, is a hot commodity right now. But, without the right players, his star could dim. And he surely knows that.

As much as he seems to like USF, and he has been effusive in his praise of the university, Hodgson needs to consider whether he can continue winning at this season’s unexpected pace if the crowds at the Yuengling Center remain half-full and the program’s budget is not comparable to Power Four conferences.

On the day before the Louisville game, Hodgson was asked about reports of other programs sniffing around.

“It’s a blessing to be wanted,” he said. “I can tell you right now that my sole focus is on winning basketball games and enjoying every single second with this group of young men I have right now because where we’re at in college athletics … I’ll never coach this team again after this year. You’re going to lose guys every year. That’s college basketball.”

Hodgson was referring to the transfer portal that makes every offseason a crapshoot for a coach putting together a roster.

But give him credit for not shooting down the speculation. A lot of coaches act as if they have no interest in leaving, and then call an Uber as soon as a competing contract is offered. That doesn’t mean Hodgson is hellbent on leaving, but it’s naïve to think it’s not a possibility.

“I’m extremely proud of this group of young men. I’ve been doing this for 18 years, this is the best group of young men I’ve ever been around, “Hodgson said after the Louisville loss. “Selfless, motivated, disciplined. They love one another. They celebrate each other’s success, and that’s extremely special. They’ve given me more than I could ever give them.”

USF will live on if Hodgson is lured away. In the past three years, the program has already hired two outstanding up-and-coming coaches in Hodgson and the late Amir Abdur-Rahim. That suggests young coaches see the school on Fowler Avenue as a program on the rise.

But wouldn’t it be nice, for a change, if USF didn’t need to pitch itself as a place where a hungry coach could make a name?

If, perhaps, a hotshot coach decides he’d like to stick around a little longer?

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