It was no great surprise when multiple outlets reported that South Florida head football coach Brian Hartline has settled on Michael Van Buren as the Bulls starting quarterback. Hartline hasn't confirmed it publicly, but reputable sites are reporting it as a done deal.
Van Buren and Luke Kromenhoek have been pushing each other since spring practice to take the first snap of the Hartline era. Hartline and offensive coordinator Tim Beck insisted throughout the process that the two were neck and neck, but my hunch is that if it was that close that Van Buren would have the edge.
That seemed to be the con
He has more game experience, having logged a combined17 games and 12 starts in the SEC at Mississippi State and LSU.
He took over last year at LSU and played well in a deteriorating situation. He completed 94-of-151 passes for 1,010 yards, eight touchdowns and two interceptions while running for 129 yards and a touchdown.
That last stat may have tilted the competition in his favor. While Kromenhoek has the stronger arm, Van Buren is more mobile, which fits the way Hartline wants to run the offense. It's ground and pound, take control of the line of scrimmage and impose their will.
Sources: USF has named Michael Van Buren Jr. the school’s starting quarterback. He’s a junior transfer from LSU/Miss State who has played in 17 games in two seasons and thrown for 2,896 yards and 19 TDs. pic.twitter.com/Cl3QQPz0cC
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) August 24, 2026
"Plain and simple, we want to be physical,'' Beck said.
Hartline had said all along that he wouldn't rush the decision. He is expected to hold a media session on Tuesday where he will explain the choice. Before that, the only insight came during his appeance at the recent media event to open summer camp.
"We'll all know when we know," he said. "And frankly, it's up to them to, to separate themselves, have one guy separate himself. I really haven't given myself a final call date when I want to do that. We'll see what happens."
He also added, "We'll need both of them."
Depending on the game situation, Kromenhoek's strong arm may be needed if the Bulls fall behind and need to rally.
But for now, it looks like Van Buren won the job.
The Bulls open on September 5 against FIU.
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