Sources: Kennesaw State's Amir Abdur-Rahim is finalizing a deal to be the next head coach at South Florida.

[Brad]

20 minutes ago, Jim Johnson said:

Sure, after building up USF over four to five years, he might be on some short lists for other jobs... but that is a good thing, right?

Not if it is accepted that every coach needs 3-4 years to get his guys and "his system" in.

[Brad]

1 hour ago, Bull Awakening said:

As long as this is the road to the Final Four, I am ok with it…

It is.  I checked.

[Jim Johnson]

Just now, Brad said:

Not if it is accepted that every coach needs 3-4 years to get his guys and "his system" in.

Let's not forget... with NIL and the new transfer rules it's a lot harder to keep a core group of guys together.  Even professional athletes don't get that kind of free agency.   USF's NIL situation seems to be less competitive than we might like... so we could see some of the better players leaving each season.

[Brad]

5 minutes ago, olafberserker said:

How many years did it take Tobin Anderson to get Farleigh Dickinson into the NCAA tournament?  Jerome Tang and K State to Regional final?

Add Bryce Drew taking over out here in the desert at also mid-major Grand Canyon, took over in 20-21.  Why accept any more failure than you have to?

[olafberserker]

1 minute ago, Jim Johnson said:

Let's not forget... with NIL and the new transfer rules it's a lot harder to keep a core group of guys together. 

That's how this guy won at Kennesaw St

1 minute ago, Brad said:

Add Bryce Drew taking over out here in the desert at also mid-major Grand Canyon, took over in 20-21.  Why accept any more failure than you have to?

Agree, no excuse not to win/show actual improvement right away

[olafberserker]

Question is the athletic department committed to winning?   Big question

[Jim Johnson]

Just now, olafberserker said:

That's how this guy won at Kennesaw St

But it took him four years!!!  That can't happen at USF.  He has to be FASTER than that.

[olafberserker]

2 minutes ago, Jim Johnson said:

But it took him four years!!!  That can't happen at USF.  He has to be FASTER than that.

He should be faster if he can recruit and coach.  How often does a team stay together?  You just said it's rare these days?

[belgianbull]

5 minutes ago, Jim Johnson said:

I don't think we'll go from 14-18 to 1-30 by any means, and that should upset everyone... we might be 12-20 tho... a lot depends on which players stay, which commits stay, and which players transfer in... who is scheduled (see @Brad's accurate comments about making the schedule light).

Plus, what will the AAC really look like? No Cincy or Houston.... But - FAU is in the Final 4... UNT is in the NIT final... Charlotte won the CBI... (haven't looked to see what they will be like next season)...

Like I said I wish I had the same confidence that you have in the new coach ( I would be in a better mood right now for one). Everyone on this board hopes that he is the guy. I have been wrong before, and I hope I will be as well on this occasion. I certainly was about Holtz; since I thought he would have been a good hire.

Those new teams you mentioned; FAU, UNT and I would add UAB as well prove that anything is possible, and we should expect the same success. 

[Brad]

1 minute ago, Jim Johnson said:

USF's NIL situation seems to be less competitive than we might like... so we could see some of the better players leaving each season.

It does seem that way, but is it?  First a student-athlete has to want to come here.  Secondly we are not competing at all, in any way, any longer with the Big Three in athletics or $$. 

We need to win in the small pond we are in.  In that small pond is small(er) NIL.  Lastly, it's fully understanding why it is not as much as we might like - we're not coming off a conference championship or even being competitive in a conference in how long? 

The coach will either deliver success or NIL will be the culprit.  It used to be facilities that were to blame.  This is why many thought a name brand could deliver, not an A-Sun first-timer.  Win in one year and your NIL has a far greater chance of being closer to what we'd like.  Drown in losses, it gets worse.