This Ain't the Same Old South Florida

Decades of following USF athletics has made me pretty cautious when it comes to setting expectations. That’s not because of any built-in cynicism or contrarianism or anything like that - it’s just that I don’t like to make predictions based on vibes. I need hard evidence of some sort on the field/court/other sports-playing arena before I can start sounding the hype alarm in earnest.

You’ll understand, then, why I was a little hesitant to endorse some of the chatter I heard surrounding USF men’s basketball earlier this season. Even in light of the Bulls’ hot start in AAC play, talk of conference titles or NCAA bids seemed wildly premature. This was a team breaking in a largely new roster under a first-year head coach, taking over a program that had one (1) winning season in its last 11. It was thrilling to see them so far ahead of schedule, but it was going to take a lot more than an eight-point home win over Temple (252 in NET), an eight-point home win over Rice (212), and a four-point home win over Wichita State (1-8 in conference) to convince me that this team had serious postseason aspirations.

So, that proof of concept that I was craving? It’s safe to say that the Bulls have delivered it tenfold. The stunning road comeback against then-#10 Memphis was the first indication that this team had serious juice. They followed that with a pair of convincing wins against UTSA and ECU, and a gutsy road upset over defending NIT champions North Texas.

But none of that holds a candle to what we saw from the Bulls last night. In a packed Yuengling Center, USF hosted fellow upstart Charlotte in a battle for first place in the AAC. The Bulls fell behind by as much as 17 in the first half, but a furious second half effort - capped off by a blistering 11-1 run in the final five minutes - gave USF one of the program’s most thrilling and significant wins in years, vaulting them into sole possession of first place in conference. Let me repeat that again: it’s February, and the University of South Florida men’s basketball team has sole possession of first place in the American Athletic Conference.

So much literature and airtime will be devoted by many - including my BAE colleagues - on what a brilliant job Amir Abdur-Rahim is doing in year one in Tampa, or how this was the game USF always finds a way to lose, and they finally won it. All of that is very true, and very much worth shouting from the rooftops. But it also brought something into perspective for me that’s been bouncing around in the back of my mind for a while: at long last, we’re finally reaping the benefits of a fully committed USF athletic department.

Ever since Michael Kelly took over the USF athletic department in 2018, the constant theme of his tenure has been that the process has been excellent, but the results just haven’t been there. Under Kelly, the Bulls aimed high and hired Jeff Scott, one of the most highly-acclaimed coordinators in the country. Scott was an excellent fundraiser and spokesman for the program, but he never produced the on-field results to match. The possibility of an on-campus stadium started to float around on administrators’ lips again, but the idea never really became concrete. The department talked a big game about wanting to be nationally competitive in football and men’s basketball, but from 2019 to 2022, those two programs put together a combined one winning season. Another wave of conference realignment came and went, and the Bulls were still in the AAC, on the outside looking in. I think it’s safe to say that most reasonable USF fans still believed in Kelly’s vision, but it was difficult not to get impatient as they waited and waited and waited for a structure to be built on the foundation he was laying.

Those who have remained patient are now, finally, being appropriately rewarded. The on-campus stadium is finally in the works. Kelly hired two new coaches in the two big-money sports - Adbur-Rahim and Alex Golesh - both of whom have made nearly inconceivable gains in year one. The achievements aren’t limited to athletics, either - perhaps the biggest step forward for the university came last year, when USF achieved a massive institutional goal by being invited to join the AAU. For the first time in decades, there is real momentum behind this athletic department, and institutional alignment among this university’s various sectors.

This is not to make any bold, sweeping statement about the men’s basketball team’s chances of winning the conference, or the football team’s chances of doing the same next season. Both of these programs are so far ahead of schedule, and there are so many definitions of success for each that don’t feature hardware. But the arrow is pointing up for both of these teams in a way that it hasn’t at USF in well over a decade. And with its big-money programs threatening to fire on all cylinders, a newfound commitment to facilities, and recognized academic excellence, it would be foolish not to point out that USF is quietly positioning themselves as one of a few premier mid-major options should the power conferences look to expand again.

A brave new world, indeed. Take it away, AAR.