ACUFF ERA: Can Lennie Acuff & The Bulldogs Be Contenders in Year 1?

Bucky Ball is over in Homewood, and the Samford Bulldogs brought in one of the nation's best coaches, Lennie Acuff, to lead a new era. Acuff inherits some talent but faces a massive roster rebuild after losing nearly all production from last year's NIT-bound squad.

We dissect how Coach Acuff will leverage the transfer portal and his intricate system to challenge the top of the Southern Conference immediately.

The Coaching Change & The Roster Rebuild
A New Sheriff: Lennie Acuff (700+ career wins, former Lipscomb coach) replaces Bucky McMillan, bringing a new system—a disciplined, motion-based offense with Princeton elements—to Samford.

Massive Overhaul: Samford is essentially rebuilding from scratch, relying on Acuff's ability to quickly integrate new talent into his complex, highly efficient system.

The Injury: The team faces an immediate challenge with the season-ending Achilles injury to projected starter Dajion Humphrey, adding pressure to the core talent.

Key X-Factors & Elite Transfer Talent
Coach Acuff brought in high-pedigree players he trusts, setting up an explosive core:

The Known Commodity: Dylan Faulkner (Lipscomb transfer, 6'9" skilled forward) joins Auff, bringing immediate knowledge of the system and Preseason All-SoCon talent.

The New Engine: Jadin Booth (DII All-American, 41% career 3P shooter) is expected to be the primary scorer and facilitator, providing the high-efficiency volume scoring Samford needs.

Perimeter Firepower: Veteran guard Keaton Norris (Wright State transfer, 44% 3P) adds crucial experience, toughness, and shooting depth to the backcourt.

Recruiting Advantage: We discuss how Samford's beautiful campus and location in Alabama, combined with Acuff's local ties, will help them attract and retain top talent.

Floor, Ceiling, & Prediction
System Shift: The team's hallmark hyper-fast tempo under McMillan is expected to slow slightly to accommodate Acuff's efficient, half-court philosophy, but the talent is anticipated to translate into elite production.

The Floor: The floor at 5th place, recognizing the inherent risk of a massive roster overhaul and a new coaching staff.

The Ceiling: The ceiling is contending for the No. 1 or No. 2 seed in the SoCon standings. Auff's proven winning pedigree and the immediate impact of Booth and Faulner make Samford an instant title threat.

#Samford #SamfordBulldogs #SoCon #SouthernConference #NCAABasketball #LennyAuff #DylanFaulner #TransferPortal #MidMajor #BuckyMcMillan

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Presented by Ingles Markets.
Videography provided by: Fannin Media
Video Courtesy: The Southern Conference, Samford, Wright St., Veritone & NCAA