Playing in the Hawai'i Bowl on Christmas Eve obviously is an exciting time for the USF football team, but it’s also a little melancholy. It’s the final game in green and gold for several players who were essential cogs in leading the Bulls back to respectability.
The Hawaiians have a word that covers both emotions: Aloha.
It can mean hello or goodbye.
It also means living in harmony with the people and land around you, showing mercy, sympathy, grace, and kindness.
That’s the kind of chemistry head coach Alex Golesh has tried to build with his team, and those about to play their last collegiate game were instrumental in leading that culture.
Receiver Sean Atkins became the picture of resiliency as he went from a walk-on to a record-breaker. Running back Nay’Quan Wright transferred to USF from Florida after head coach Alex Golesh arrived. Wright has been a fixture in the backfield, rushing 284 times for 1,292 yards and 15 touchdowns so far as a Bull.
Left tackle RJ Perry played for Golesh at Tennessee and followed him to USF. Defensive lineman Jason Vaughn came to USF in 2019 and stayed through the bad times. They’re all graduate players.
Senior linebacker Jhalyn Shuler had 49 total tackles and a pair of interceptions this season despite missing three games with a leg injury. Senior Andrew Stokes became one of the nation’s best punters and was a first-team All-Conference selection. He is also one of the best stories on the team – a 30-year-old punter from Australia.
“There are guys who stayed with this program when that wasn’t the cool thing to do, the guys who believed in our vision of where we wanted to take this program,” Golesh said.
There are personal milestones within reach for Atkins and Joiner.
Atkins needs 74 yards to become USF’s career receiving yardage leader. Joiner needs 29 rushing yards to pass Matt Grothe (2,206) for fifth place on USF’s career rushing list.
Let’s also not forget that they are about to play a game USF needs to win. A victory would give the Bulls their first win over a team with a winning record in Golesh’s two seasons here. It would ensure a second straight 7-6 season for USF, which might not sound like much, but we all know what this program has been through.
Either way, when the game is over, it will be Aloha (hello) for what comes next and Aloha (goodbye) to those players who will be moving on. It's been quite a ride.