Lunardi is out with his "way to early" bracketology for next season. He has two teams from the American in the conference - Florida Atlantic as a 2-seed and Memphis as a 10-seed.

...KSU big man Demond Robinson. I’ve heard that the 6-foot-8, 264-pounder intends to enter the transfer portal.

He was the Owls’ leader in OREB a 2.2 per game. He was second on the team in total rebounds (204) and rebounds per game (5.8). He also averaged 11.0 points per game on an average of eight shot attempts per game. Robinson also blocked 31 shots in 35 games this season. Tchewa, Walker Jr. and Muordar combined to block 34 shots for the Bulls this season.

Robinson has one season of eligibility left.

Staff: CAAR, Desmond Oliver, William Small, Ben Fletcher

Roster: Corey Walker Jr, Sam Hines Jr, Selton Miguel, Chris Youngblood, Brandon Stroud, Kasen Jennings, Anthony Robinson.

6 ships available.

Players of interest: Terrell Burden, Desmond Robinson, Javier McCollum, Daniel Tobiloba, Dante Oliver, Callum Richard, Ryan Conwell, Russell Tchewa, Tyler Ringold?

My head is spinning trying to keep up with what's happening. I think I'm maybe a coach or two short on the new staff.

Russ HELP !!!

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Things are awful quiet on Coaching hires and recruiting. Is anything brewing?

Sources have told BullsInsider.com that Brian Battie has submitted paperwork to enter the transfer portal.

I completely forgot about this, it happened during basketball season, and how it may impact Amir Abdur-Rahim's staffing decisions.

Earlier this year the NCAA supported an increase in the number of basketball coaches who may be employed & provide technical/tactical instruction to student-athletes from four to six with the understanding that the two additional coaches may not contact or evaluate prospective student-athletes (PSAs) off-campus; in addition, the two additional coaches are subject to individual associated with the prospective student-athlete (IAWP) legislation.

KEY POINTS

The institution’s head coach must be designated as one of the four countable coaches who may recruit off-campus.

All six countable coaches may simultaneously provide technical and tactical instruction to student-athletes. In other words, all six coaches may provide on-court instruction during practice.

The institution must designate, to the NCAA, the four countable coaches who may contact and evaluate prospective student-athletes off campus and the two countable coaches who may not.

An institution may temporarily replace one of the two countable coaches who may not engage in off-campus recruiting activities if the staff member is unable to perform any or all duties because of extenuating circumstances.

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A source close to Jamir Chaplin called to say that Chaplin has begun the process to enter the NCAA transfer portal. I don't have access to everything that was discussed between CAAR and Chaplin when they had their meeting, but I do know that Chaplin has already been in contact with USF compliance about entering the portal. So, he should be in no later than Thursday afternoon but I'm thinking he'll officially be in later tonight or early tomorrow.

Like many of you I have been encouraged with the way the team has been playing down the stretch of the non league season. Also like the rest of you, I have been waiting for the true test to begin in AAC play(tonight) to really see what our team is made of, and of course how CBG will lead his team. This is probably the most anticipated league play in Brian Gregory's career as the USF head basketball coach. It's a strong possibility that he will be coaching to keep his job, and will need a winning conference record to maybe justify him continuing as the head coach in the future. I'm here to say I believe that the opportunity is there for Gregory and USF to place themselves in the upper half of the AAC when the smoke clears. I have this confidence based on how the team is gelling and I don't think the league has more than 1 truly elite team and that is Houston. Like always Memphis is capable of beating just about anyone, but I do not believe they are elite right now. Everyone else in the league shouldn't scare anybody on the schedule.

Anyway let's see what happens and just enjoy the ride, we will have a lot to talk about this basketball season.

In the spirit of keeping things positive, what is the most fun you've ever had at a USF sporting event?

For me there it's hard to pick one, so I will share 2:

1. Going to Stateboro with my dad to see USF at Georgia Southern in football - my dad nook a nap at halftime on the hill right behind the end zone and didn't get back to the seats until early in the 4th quarter. I had taped the game and sure enough I saw it on TV him asleep on the hill. My dad passed away 2 years later and glad we had that trip
2. West Virginia at USF on a Friday night at RayJay in from of 60k+ fans - that magical night in a magical season. To this day that's the loudest I have ever heard RayJay

Honorable mention even though it wasn't AT a USF event was a long weekend in Vegas when USF made their run in the NCAAT and cheering with other USF fans and "short term investors" in the Bellagio sportbook.

What BullsInsider.com is hearing on South Florida men's basketball activity.

STORY

Longtime High School Coach & Administrator to Lead Bulls off the field development



TAMPA, JAN. 13, 2023 – University of South Florida Head Coach Alex Golesh has named Jeff Jones as the Bulls’ director of player development, a role in which he will oversee the Bulls development and growth in community and campus engagement, leadership development and off the field skill sets necessary for success in life after their time at USF.



A longtime high school administrator, teacher and football coach, Jones was named the 2006 Ohio Division I State Coach of the Year and most recently served as principal for grades 5-6 campus and 750 students at Park StreetIntermediate School (2020-22) in Grove City, Ohio.



“I am honored and excited that Coach Jones is joining us at USF and employing his tremendous experience in education and coaching to the overall development of our Bulls players,” Golesh said. “I played for him and experienced first-hand his outstanding ability as a mentor and teacher of student-athletes, and I am so excited our players will also have the opportunity to benefit from his leadership and wisdom.”



Jones brings a lengthy resume of experience in education to USF, having served as principal at four high schools in Ohio, associate principal at one and taught science and biology at seven schools over the course of a 29-year career, including 15 as a teacher and 14 as an administrator.



Among his many accomplishments as an administrator, Jones built a unique care/regulation processes and network for students that was implemented across the district, served as instructional leader for large numbers of teachers and educational aides at each stop, built communication networks to address a variety of stakeholders, conducted teacher evaluations and hiring, coordinated building operations, and oversaw course schedules, discipline and attendance for as many as 2,500 students. Jones also served on numerous curriculum, planning, standards, grants and negotiating committees during his tenure.



Jones has 15 seasons of experience coaching football at the high school level, including as head coach at Westland High School (2005-07) and Mount Gilead (2002). He was also offensive coordinator at Dublin Scioto High School (2000-02) and Hilliard Davidson High School (1999). As the head football coach at Westland, he led the program to its first playoff berth in program history in 2006 after taking over a program that went 1-9 the year before his arrival. As offensive coordinator at Dublin he coached USF head coach Alex Golesh. During his coaching career he was privileged to work under the guidance of great Ohio high school coaches such as hall of famers Johns Sines and Bryan Deal as well as Brian White, Karl Johnson and Mark Crabtree.



Born in Columbus, Ohio, Jones attended high school at Naperville Central in the Chicago area and earned his bachelor’s degree in life sciences at Otterbein (OH) University in 1991. He went on to earn a master’s degree in teaching from Otterbein in 1994 and completed continuing educations course work at Ohio State. He earned an administrative licensure from Ashland University in 2006 and complete superintendent licensure work at Ashland from 2012-13.



Jones and his wife, Christy, have a son, Jordan (21), and a daughter, Alyssa (18).

Tonight Myles Che texted me that he “never got to speak to the coach.” That is not exactly breaking news because his relative @Jeffc38888 posted yesterday that CAAR did not call which led to Che reopening his recruitment.

Tyler Ringgold just texted and said CAAR has not contacted him yet. He added “I’m kind of concerned.”

I texted Anthony Robinson’s father but I have not heard back from him yet.

I expect CAAR to return from Houston tonight and be in the office Tuesday morning. He will work out the current players in the afternoon.

The Bulls will welcome back 55 former players for a flag football contest at halftime of the annual Spring Game on Friday, April 14 at Corbett Stadium



TAMPA, APRIL 7, 2023 – The USF Spring Game presented by USF Federal Credit Union will once again feature a fan-favorite showcase of former Bulls standouts at halftime of the contest set for a 7 p.m. kickoff on Friday, April 14 at Corbett Stadium on the USF Campus.



The Alumni Flag Football game presented by Allstate returns and may feature its greatest collection yet of former Bulls as 55 former USF student-athletes will take part as players or coaches, including 14 former NFL players, three current NFL players, six members of Super Bowl teams and four Super Bowl champions, one three-time CFL Grey Cup champion and two USF Athletic Hall of Fame members.



The impressive rosters, organized by former Bulls quarterback and current assistant director of development BJ Daniels (a Super Bowl champion who will compete for the Green Team), will play a flag football contest at halftime of the Spring Game. The contest will be broadcast live on ESPN+.



Coaching the Gold Team will be current Kansas City Chief Marquez Valdes-Scantling, fresh off a Super Bowl LVII victory in February. He will be joined by Bulls All-American and nine-year NFL veteran Mike Jenkins, All-Big EAST and NFL linebacker Tyrone McKenzie and former All-Conference USA defensive lineman Lee Roy Selmon Jr. coaching the Gold Team.



The Green Team will be coached by current NFL players D’Ernest Johnson (Jacksonville) and Mitchell Wilcox (Cincinnati), who competed in Super Bowl LVI with the Bengals. They will be joined on the coaching staff by NFL linebackers Sam Barrington and Kawika Mitchell, a Super Bowl XLII champion with the Giants, and linebacker from USF’s first team, Marshall Smith.



The alumni roster full of fan-favorites and Bulls standouts includes Gold Team quarterbacks Quinton Flowers (the USF Athletic Hall of Fame member and current XFL quarterback will not play), Matt Grothe and Pat Julmiste, who rank first, second and fifth all-time in total offense at USF. They will be joined by NFL running back and the Bulls’ third-all-time rusher Andre Hall, CFL Grey Cup Champion SJ Green, NFL receiver Huey Whittaker and NFL defensive backs Anthony Henry (a USF Athletic Hall of Fame member), Deatrick Nichols and Louis Gachette.



Daniels and Blake Barnett will quarterback the Green Team, which features five Super Bowl team members. Eric Lee and Sampson Genus, both NLF players and Super Bowl team members, will be joined by NFL wide receiver and Bulls’ all-time leading receiver Andre Davis.



Numerous recognizable and beloved former Bulls fill the rosters for both teams for the Alumni Game. That roster can be viewed in the on-line story (link above).



Fans planning to attend the Spring Game are asked to register in advance to receive a free mobile ticket HERE.



GAME DETAILS

KICKOFF: Set for 7 p.m.

WATCH: Live stream to ESPN+

LISTEN: The game can be heard on 102.5-HD2 and Bulls Unlimited on TuneIn.

PARKING: Is Free. Lots open at 5 p.m.

Fan parking is in Lot 18/Sycamore Drive and Yuengling Center Lots 6 and 22.

GATES: Stadium Gates will open at 5 p.m.

Entrance is by mobile ticket (free, please register HERE)

FAN FEST: The Fan Fest will move inside the Corbett Stadium and will open at 5 p.m. and remain open throughout the game featuring:

• A Kids Zone
• USF Sun Dolls, Cheerleaders & Rocky
• Photo Opportunities
• Food/Beverage Stations & Beer Garden
• Cornhole
• Sponsor Activations & Giveaways
• HOT Band performance

According to a source, Lee Butler met with the USF coaching staff today and told them that none of them would be retained.

That should not be a surprise to anyone who has been following along here since last Wednesday.

It does look like team trainer Greg Byrd and S&C coach David Land may be retained.

I remember the cannons going off after a monster Gary Alexander dunk. Not sure why that stopped.

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Glad I didn't go to this one. Thirty minutes long. Similar questions and answers to previous pressers. A question that sounds like its for a story about the Bucs & the NFL Draft (time & place). Gum chewing. Yeesh.

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This is a new lawsuit, and is the second suit after the Johnson v NCAA suit related to the employment status of student athletes.