It has only been a couple of days since Michael Kelly, USF’s VP of Athletics, announced a national coaching search for the men’s basketball team.
ESPN+ (a pay site) listed three coaches it said are “commonly linked to South Florida.”
It identified UNC Wilmington head coach Takayo Siddle, George Mason head coach Tony Skinn, and Alabama assistant Ryan Pannone, who is a USF alum.
Let’s take a look at their resumes.
Siddle: He has been UNCW’s coach for five seasons and has 99 total wins over the last four years, including 27-7 this season. After finishing second in the regular season, the Seahawks won the Coastal Athletic Association tournament championship.
With a track record like that, it’s likely Kelly isn’t the only one with an eye potentially on Siddle. There are a lot of jobs open and Siddle is considered a rising star.
His contract runs through the 2027-28 season.
Skinn: He just finished his second season at his alma mater, where he helped lead the Patriots to the Atlantic 10 championship this season. They have topped 20 wins in both of his seasons on the job. They lost the A-10 tournament championship game Sunday 68-63 to top-seeded VCU.
He was the A-10 Coach of the Year and is another name with sizzle. Leaving the school he helped lead to the 2006 Final Four as a starting guard could be difficult,
He currently makes $925,000 a year. His buyout is $800,000 before April 1.
Pannone: He is a native of Clearwater and a 2012 USF graduate. He joined the Crimson Tide in 2023 after stops with six different teams, including the NBA’s New Orleans as an assistant in 2022-23.
He was the head coach at two places: Prievidza in the Slovak Basketball League, and with Erie/Birmingham in the NBA G League.
After hiring Pannone, Alabama head coach Nate Oats was effusive.
“Over my last four years at Alabama, I have gotten to know Ryan through his work with the Pelicans organization. He is one of the brightest minds in the game of basketball and a relentless worker," Oats said.
"Ryan brings a wealth of Xs and Os experience to Tuscaloosa from his time coaching in the NBA, G League, and overseas. He is recognized as a top recruiter and a leader in player development, both crucial to the long and short-term success of our program.”
Other names that have been mentioned include former Marquette, Indiana, and Georgia coach Tom Crean.
Former USF player Chris Capko, now the associate head coach at SMU after spending ten years as an assistant at Southern Cal also comes up.
Disclaimer: Kelly does these things by stealth and most of these “lists” are often sourced by agents and insiders with an ear to the rumor mill, so don’t be surprised if the eventual hire is none of the above.