Bryan Hodgson made his NCAA Tournament debut as a head coach in Buffalo, and it ended in an 83-79 first-round loss to Louisville. But for South Florida Bulls fans, the result was secondary to what the appearance represented. Hodgson had taken the program to their first NCAA Tournament in 14 years in his very first season in charge. 

Unfortunately, Bryan Hodgson will not be around to build on this start. According to basketball insider Jon Rothstein, the South Florida head coach is finalizing a deal to become the next head coach at Providence, leaving the Bulls before his first season has even fully concluded. 

Given what Hodgson has done everywhere he has been, the impending move feels entirely justified. Before becoming a head coach, he was ranked the No. 2 recruiter in the entire country, personally responsible for landing elite NBA talent like Brandon Miller and Jaden Bradley. At Arkansas State, he posted 20 wins in his first season and guided them to a CBI appearance, the program’s first postseason showing since 1999. He followed that with 25 wins and an NIT second-round appearance in year two. 

Then he arrived at South Florida and delivered 25 wins, his team swept the AAC regular season and the tournament, and the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance in 14 years, all in a single season. Hodgson rebuilt the entire roster from scratch; 13 of his 15 players were new to the program. 

Hodgson will be joining a Providence team that finished with a disappointing 15-18 overall record and a 7-13 mark in Big East conference play. This explains why the Friars want him. In the words of Providence athletic director Steve Napolillo, Hodgson is a “winner” who will bring a “winning culture” to the program. And if Hodgson’s track record is anything to go by, Friars fans have every reason to trust Napolillo’s belief.

As for South Florida, there are no tears, only gratitude. USF Athletics CEO Rob Higgins has expressed his appreciation for Hodgson’s contributions. He highlighted the incredible season he delivered and the standard he has set for the program. While no names have been dropped yet for an interim or permanent replacement, the foundation Hodgson leaves behind is a strong one. Bulls fans can only hope that whoever walks through the door next will pick up where he left off.

How Bryan Hodgson Rebuilt South Florida’s Roster From Scratch in One Offseason

When Bryan Hodgson arrived at South Florida in March 2025, he inherited a program that needed a complete overhaul. And of course, Hodgson set about rebuilding the roster from the ground up. He went on to secure a recruiting class ranked No. 29, which is the best in the program’s history. 

His masterclass in roster construction was evident in the talent he acquired. He poached Izaiyah Nelson from his former program, who went on to an unprecedented sweep of AAC awards. The offense was supercharged by transfers Joseph Pinion and Wes Enis, who both shattered the program’s single-season three-pointer record. Hodgson even landed former five-star recruit Daimion Collins and flipped a trio of Canadian freshmen previously committed to his old team.

The results spoke for themselves. The new-look roster averaged 88.4 points per game, shattering the previous school record of 83.8. They also set a program mark with 300 total three-pointers on the season. USF also led the American Conference in both offensive and defensive efficiency. It was not just a roster rebuild. It was a program transformation. Providence, it is safe to say, has every reason to be excited about what comes next.