Arkansas State is expected to hire Alabama assistant Ryan Pannone as its next head coach, sources told ESPN.

An official announcement could come as early as Sunday.

Pannone replaces another former Alabama assistant, Bryan Hodgson, who left to take over at South Florida.

Pannone joined Nate Oats’ staff in Tuscaloosa in 2023, after all three Crimson Tide assistant coaches — including Hodgson — earned head coaching jobs. During his two seasons at Alabama, the Crimson Tide have gone 53-20.

They reached the Final Four last season and will face Duke Saturday night in the Elite Eight.

Prior to joining the college ranks, Pannone was a longtime coach at the pro level. He was an assistant with the New Orleans Pelicans for one season after spending three years as the head coach of the Erie BayHawks and Birmingham Squadron in the G League. He also has experience as a coach overseas, including one season as the head coach of BC Prievidza in the Slovak Extraliga.