While finishing 7-6 last season and winning a bowl game may have made USF football fans more than a little giddy, that record is not what head coach Alex Golesh wants.
Golesh often talks about the “standard” for his program, and, trust me, 7-6 ain’t it. His focus us on championships and consistency. So, as the Bulls prepare to open on August 31 against Bethune-Cookman University, let’s look at three areas where less will mean more this season.
It will be a good sign if:
No. 1: Quarterback Byrum Brown is NOT the Bulls’ leading rusher this season.
We know that Brown is a dual-threat athlete and can be as effective when he runs as when he passes. Letting him wing it playground-style is tempting, but that’s also a good way to get him beat to a pulp.
That’s why a key part of the buildup to this season has been to keep Brown in the pocket more often, and that’s very smart.
He led USF in rushing attempts last season (203) and yards gained (809). Brown was the Bulls’ leading rusher in seven of the 13 games and ran four times for 100 yards or more. He had 11 of USF’s 23 rushing touchdowns. Add in the 38 sacks he took, and that's a ton of contact for your best player.
The Bulls have more weapons on offense than a year ago, particularly at receiver. Nay'Quan Wright leads the running back room, and there are some other intriguing options there, too, such as Kelley Joiner. Freshman Nykahi Davenport might be a name to watch.
Golesh has stressed that he knows what Brown can do as a runner, and we certainly will see that this season.
However, we don’t need to see it as much as we did a year ago.
No. 2: Sean Atkins doesn’t catch 92 passes again.
Atkins exploded on the scene last year, setting a team record with 92 catches for 1,054 yards. Both marks were school records.
That was a fantastic achievement, but this is another case where a more diversified offense will help the Bulls get where they want to go. Atkins was the leading receiver in 10 of USF’s 13 games.
The Bulls have the bodies to mix it up more this season.
Purdue transfer Abdur-Rahmaan Yaseen might take some of the load off Atkins, and let’s not forget that Naiem Simmons had eight catches for a USF single-game record of 272 yards against Rice.
Michael Brown-Stephens returns, but the big change this season may come from the tight ends. Senior Weston Wolff returns, but four-star freshman Jonathan Echols is a name to watch. He missed most of the spring recovering from knee surgery, but he’s a full practice participant now and could be a difference-maker.
“From athletic ability, man, that’s a pretty special cat there,” Golesh said. “As fast as he can develop, we’d love for him to develop.”
No. 3: USF doesn’t rank 14th in the Conference again in pass defense.
OK, that one is obvious after watching the secondary get repeatedly strafed last season. But to think the Bulls managed seven wins despite finishing last in the AAC in pass defense is kind of amazing.
They allowed 288 yards per game. That was 106 more than SMU, the first-place team in that category, and getting better has been a point of emphasis in recruiting and the portal.
It’s not fair to lay all the blame on the secondary.
A more effective pass rush would take some of the pressure off the corners and safeties, and there should be more depth this season. The Bulls added ten defensive backs through recruiting and the portal. There is more size and overall speed on the defense, too.
Even a modest improvement in the secondary could be the difference between playing for the AAC championship (and possible playoff berth), or another trip to lovely Boca Raton.