Getting more bodies into the USF running back room has been a priority for head coach Alex Golesh. The departures of the Bulls’ top three backs from 2024 left USF with a canyon-sized hole to fill.
However, that abyss got a little smaller with the addition of former Oklahoma running back Sam Franklin. Bulls Insider and 247Sports reported that Franklin committed to USF from the transfer portal on Monday night.
He joins Cartevious Norton, who transferred from Charlotte, holdovers Alvon Isaac, Jaylen Johnson, and Nykahi Davenport.
Davenport, a sophomore, was on the roster last season but saw no action
Isaac and Johnson combined for 12 carries, 83 yards, and one touchdown in 2024.
Compare that to the production last season by Nay`Quan Wright, Kelley Joiner, and Ta`Ron Keith. They combined for 308 carries, 1,728 yards, and 28 touchdowns.
“Obviously, you had a lot to replace there,” Golesh said.
Before going to Oklahoma last season, Franklin played two seasons at UT-Martin. He was the Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Year in 2022, and he followed that with 1,386 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2023. He was a consensus FCS All-American and a Walter Payton Award finalist.
Things didn’t work out at Oklahoma, however.
He played sparingly, most on special teams, and had only 18 carries for 132 yards. He entered the portal on April 15.
Adding Franklin provides more than just depth at running back. If he can regain the form he showed at UT-Martin, it gives the Bulls another significant weapon out of the backfield.
USF is already counting heavily on the production Norton is expected to bring. He had 525 yards and seven touchdowns last season after transferring to Charlotte from Iowa State.
Throw in holdovers Isaac and Johnson, and the Bulls will have a lot of versatility to keep opponents off balance.
“I think that (running back) group has grown so much. Cartavious Norton, coming in as a veteran, has really helped that room,” Golesh said.
“He's a special cat in the sense that he's played a ton of football. He's got really cool leadership qualities.”
Norton’s attitude after arriving at USF was just what was needed after the departure of three veteran backs.
“I looked at the (running back) room and knew they were young and needed somebody to come in and step up. But I never looked at a situation and like I'm going in to start,” he said.
“I look at myself just as I'm at the bottom of the depth chart, and I've got to work, regardless of who's in the room.”