If you thought USF football coach Alex Golesh told Byrum Brown not to run, wrong!

I could have sworn that USF football coach Alex Golesh said a few weeks ago that he wants quarterback Byrum Brown to stay in the pocket more this year. At least that’s what I thought.

However, these things are subject to interpretation, so when I prefaced a question to Golesh about Byrum running less this season, I got the following response.

“You never heard me say that. I've never said I want Byrum running a little less. I think part of Byrum's game is that he's a mobile quarterback who makes things happen with his feet. He created a ton of first downs for us a year ago and will continue to create a bunch of first downs for us.

“What I said was, Byrum, his next step in his progression is for him to feel comfortable in the pocket, get feet in the ground, and deliver football consistently over and over again.”

That’s cool. It wasn't a misdirection play, and when things need clarifying, we here at Green, Gold and Bold are happy to do that. Besides, I completely agree that it wouldn’t be a prudent use of resources to restrict (too much) such an integral part of one of college football’s most electrifying talents.

“When you're a first-year starter, and it's your first time truly playing with people in front of you, the clock is a lot faster,” Golesh said. “It's the same way for any position. It all happens really fast. The game is really fast.

“You could see Byrum as the year went on, and it all slowed down for him.”

True dat.

But I think I get what Golesh is saying.

Don’t restrict Byrum when he sees green grass and open spaces ahead of him. He’s as likely to take the ball 50 yards to the end zone in that scenario as he would be to throw it that far.

With the increased number of pass-catching weapons the Bulls assembled for him, he may actually have more running opportunities, not fewer, as defenders try to cover USF’s receivers.

“That is where the next step for him as a quarterback is, is to sit in and deliver the football,” Golesh said. “I hope his game doesn't change in terms of him using the speed to make things happen. That's what makes Byrum, in a lot of ways, really special. He can create.”

He is a true dual-threat quarterback who can beat opponents with his arm, legs, and ability to discern the best time to use both weapons. Those guys are hard to find and even harder to defend.