Now that college basketball is nuzzling into the middle section of its offseason, we wanted to look at the major seven conference in the sport and address all that has happened since early April. We're starting the series with the American Athletic Conference, and will post one league per weekday over the next seven days.

No conference in America should have as big of a profile jump next season as the AAC. I'll explain why below. Let's just get to the goodies and let you know what you need to know. Here's what's happened with this league over the past three-plus months.

Impact players returning

Not included, but certainly worthy: Wichita State's Landry Shamet, Shaq Morris and Markis McDuffie. Technically not "returning" to the AAC, but here they come. I think all three have a great chance at landing first and/or second team all-league honors.

As for the names above, all will be considered for our annual top 100 (and one) players list. There are even guys not listed who will get a good look (incoming/eligible transfer Cane Broom, at Cincy, for instance).

Impact players leaving

The Lawsons transferring out of Memphis (and going to Kansas) could be massively detrimental to the Tubby Smith era in Memphis. UConn was an injury-riddled mess last season, but losing Purvis and Brimah shouldn't prevent the Huskies from being better next season. Ojeleye and Dotson were second-round draft picks, the latter of whom was a massive riser (despite his history; Dotson was infamously banned from Oregon's campus in the aftermath of a sexual assault case that brought no charges) on draft boards.

Coaching changes

Brian Gregory, South Florida: Gregory taking over for Orlando Antigua, who was fired in January in the midst of an NCAA investigation, is the only coaching move in the conference this offseason. USF is in a state of significant change, but Gregory can be a savior. He did well at Dayton, then never managed to find success with Georgia Tech. For coach and program, this seems like a hire that should work for anywhere from 6-10 years. Gregory's career record is 248-180.

Wichita State's set up to be a top-10 team in college hoops next season. Best Shockers team ever? USATSI

Three biggest AAC offseason headlines

Wichita State leaves the MVC to join the American: The biggest move in conference realignment of 2017 came within a week of the season ending. Wichita State severed tied with the Missouri Valley (it was a member beginning in 1945) to upgrade its conference and better its chances at respectable seeding and overall consideration for Big Dance inclusion. The move is perfectly timed, because Wichita State is at the height of its powers and still has Gregg Marshall running the program. The AAC could use a boost, too, and this means ... Commissioner Mike Aresco agressively pursues inclusion into the Power 5: Aresco and the American put together a hefty PR pitch/manifesto/stratagem in order to up the league's public standing. Here's the thing: the Wichita State inclusion promotes the conference in and of itself. And it's not a "power 6." There's a -- go with me on this term? -- Major 7. The Big East, though not a player in football, is indisputably a top-four conference in college basketball now. We had a major six group of leagues, and the AAC can now definitively be put with those groups thanks to successfully recruiting the Shockers. As for football, that's another matter I'll leave to the gridiron scribes. Memphis' Tubby Smith loses the Lawson brothers: The Memphis drama has been a disaster. Smith removed Keelon Lawson, the father, from the picture when it came to significant involvement in the program. What came next is no surprise. Dedric was a top-50 player in college hoops last season. Now Smith is floundering and fighting off all the negative recruiting that's come with the fallout. I've got more perspective, in the power rankings below, on how bad it is.