There are players' coaches, and apparently there's also a bus coach.
Arkansas State's Brian Hodgson is both.
When the team bus broke down on the way to a game against the second-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide on Thursday, the Red Wolves head coach grabbed a wrench and dug out the engine himself.
The Arkansas State men's basketball team was about two hours away from Tuscaloosa when its road trip stalled. According to journalist and basketball analyst Jeff Goodman,.
The Red Wolves waited two hours for Hodgson to begin diagnosing and repairing the problem (a shredded belt).
If highwayside adventure is the appetizer, Friday's matchup is the main course.
Hodgson's side were forced to cancel Thursday's pre-match training due to technical issues, but there will be no time for rusty play.
The Crimson Tide will be well rested.
Alabama's first and only game was on Monday, defeating UNC Asheville 110-54.
If the Red Wolves can remain undefeated in their young season, they will have to beat the team with the fourth-best odds to win the national championship on their home court.
Still, there is reason to believe.
Hodgson began his coaching career as a student assistant at Fredonia State University while pursuing a degree in sports management.
He worked at various basketball camps during the summer, paid his dues as an assistant coach at a community college, then paid his dues as a volunteer coach at a junior college, and ultimately earned his first Division I opportunity at Buffalo. .
Hodgson joined Nate Oats at Alabama in 2019 after serving as an assistant coach with the Bulls for four years.
As the Crimson Tide's lead recruiter, he oversaw multiple classes, including the Class of 2022, which was ranked No. 4 in the nation. per 247 sports.
It was here in Tuscaloosa that Hodgson met. earned the nickname.
In 2023, Hodgson took his first head coaching job with the Red Wolves.
And in just one season, he turned the program into a true Sun Belt contender.
In the 2022-23 season, the Red Wolves won just 13 games and went 4-14 in conference play.
A year later, in Hodgson's first season, the team won 20 games, including 11 in Sun Belt competition.
Arkansas State opened the 2024-25 season with an 80-75 overtime victory over Akron in the season opener.
The showdown between the Red Wolves and Crimson Tide is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.
