Some new (and old) names to ponder as the USF men’s basketball search lingers

Having reaped no luck with the Irish, the USF men’s basketball coaching search forges curiously onward.

The Bulls’ discussions with former Notre Dame coach Mike Brey — who interviewed for the job and was considered the clear favorite — broke down earlier this week, forcing USF officials to explore other options. Just where that search leads requires some educated guesswork; it’s believed the Bulls desire a candidate with prior head-coaching experience.

Presuming that prerequisite exists, here are some names to monitor — some familiar, some fresh — as the search enters its third week.

Ryan Odom

Utah State coach

A Bulls graduate assistant in the Seth Greenberg era, Odom’s name has gained traction in recent days. The son of former Wake Forest and South Carolina coach Dave Odom, the 48-year-old possesses eight years of college head-coaching experience and led the Aggies to a 26-9 record and NCAA Tournament berth this past season. Thing is, a move from the Mountain West to the American Athletic Conference may be considered lateral, and Odom’s teams routinely drew home crowds in excess of 8,000 this past season.

Seth Greenberg

ESPN analyst

The odds of Greenberg, 66, getting his old job back appear very slim. So why do we include him? Because it’s widely believed he’s interested in the gig and would listen intently if the Bulls reached out. Though he never led the Bulls to the NCAA Tournament, Greenberg’s record in Tampa (108-100, two NIT berths) is downright Wooden-esque compared to recent USF coaches. And let’s face it, he has evolved into a national brand name during his decade as an ESPN analyst.

Sam Mitchell

Former NBA player, coach

We’ve heard Mitchell, 59, who played more than a decade in the NBA and was that league’s coach of the year with the Raptors in 2006-07, has had discussions with USF. Just how formal those talks have been, however, is unclear. Mitchell, who logged a 185-242 record as an NBA head coach, spent the 2018-19 season as an assistant to Penny Hardaway at Memphis. Known for administering tough love and humor in equal doses, Mitchell’s pro resume might play well with kids aspiring to reach that level.

Charlton ‘C.Y.’ Young

Missouri assistant

A Miami native and former longtime FSU assistant to Leonard Hamilton, Young, 51, meets the head-coaching prerequisite, having amassed a 43-84 record in four seasons (2009-13) at Georgia Southern. That record won’t play well with the Bulls fan base, but his sprawling recruiting connections in Florida can’t hurt his chances.

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Also keep monitoring ...

Amir Abdur-Rahim, Kennesaw State

This Atlanta native, who led the Owls to a breakthrough season (26-8), was bypassed for the Georgia Tech gig.

Richard Pitino, New Mexico

The Bulls couldn’t land the most prominent Pitino, but his son (191-164 as a head coach) has big-time experience.

Josh Pastner, former Georgia Tech coach

Averaged 26 wins in a five-season span (2009-2014) at Memphis in a previous life

Richie Riley, South Alabama

Has collected three 20-win seasons in seven years as a head coach (two at Nicholls State, five at USA)

And if USF does opt for an assistant ...

Chris Capko, Southern Cal

The Bulls had a conversation with their former point guard, who was raised in Lakeland and served as a USF captain.

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