© Gary Cosby Jr./Imagn
If you’re a Division I men’s college basketball coach hoping to use the transfer portal to reload for the 2026-27 season, might I suggest avoiding players from the University of South Florida?
Yes, the Bulls are currently in the midst of one of their best seasons in program history. That’s due in large part to first-year head coach Bryan Hodgson, who came over after two strong seasons in charge of Arkansas State and has created a strong culture in Tampa.
And yes, the Bulls, who sit at 23-8 overall and 15-3 in the American Athletic Conference, have plenty of players who could be key contributors on a bigger stage next year.
But Hodgson made it clear recently that if you try to come for his players, he’s going to stand in the way in a significant manner.
Bryan Hodgson Laid Down The Law For Coaches Hoping To Steal His Players
Hodgson, who himself could be a hot commodity on the coaching market in the offseason, joined The Field of 68 podcast on Monday to discuss his impressive first season with South Florida.
At one point during the interview, Hodgson was asked about retaining his players amid interest from larger programs in the transfer portal. And he wasn’t shy in his answer.
“Any of these clowns that think they’re gonna reach out before the season ends and start sending DMs… I will find you,” Hodgson said. “I’m not like the rest of these coaches. We will have a face-to-face conversation… It may work with other people. It doesn’t work with me. I will find you.”
I’m not sure what exactly Hodgson is insinuating here. I can’t imagine that he’s going to physically fight an opposing college basketball coach. But it sure sounds as if he’s willing to do so.
Ultimately, there’s little that Hodgson can do, beyond matching financial terms, to prevent a player from leaving if they receive an offer from another school. However, it does sound as if he’s formed an extremely close bond with his team, and in this day and age of college sports, that’s not always extremely common.