Overview

• In his first public appearance, Higgins positioned his role as selling USF to fans, donors, media partners and conference leaders.
• He stressed excelling in the American Athletic Conference and said he is holding transparent talks with AAC commissioner Tim Pernetti while acknowledging Power Four aspirations.
• Higgins said USF currently checks two to three of four realignment criteria, citing academics and television market as strengths with resources and on-field results improving.
• Calling the timeline tight before realignment discussions heat up, he urged urgency, saying there is a very small window and it is “all gas and no brakes.”
• His stepwise plan is to win the building, then the campus, then the community, then the country, leveraging relationships from years leading the Tampa Bay Sports Commission to boost USF’s profile.