USF has rapidly become a chic breakthrough pick for the upcoming college football season for several reasons.
The surprising seven-win season Alex Golesh put together in his first year on the job got the pundits’ attention. Then, the Bulls started climbing in the recruiting rankings, which they hadn’t done in a few years, and that brought more attention.
Having a quarterback like Byrum Brown also made people take notice.
So here we are, about seven weeks away from the opening game, and the good news keeps coming. It came in the form of a chart on the football site Light On CFB. The chart, taken off recruiting rankings from 247sports.com, showed how the Bulls compared in the Class of 2025 rankings in the Group of Five.
FAU, East Carolina, and Memphis joined USF in the Top 10, but there was only room for one at the top: the Bulls.
USF’s success in attracting top recruits is not just about numbers, but also about the unique experiences they offer. Last month, 18 sought-after recruits were treated to a scene at Raymond James Stadium that showcased the Bulls' innovative approach. Golesh had arranged multiple Lamborghinis on the turf, providing a memorable backdrop for the recruits' photoshoots.
The subliminal message: USF is going places in a hurry, so hop in.
USF is not messing around when it comes to its photoshoot for a MASSIVE official visit weekend 👀🤘https://t.co/ZGfRgDLbEs pic.twitter.com/XbwN5wdTad
— Mike Singer (@MikeTSinger) June 21, 2024
Alas, the stadium turf was under off-season maintenance, so when the photos went public, the cars looked like they were at some grungy high school field parking lot. That’s all it took for caustic wits to have their fun with USF.
Tiger Droppings – an LSU fan site – noted, “These luxurious sports cars were quickly overshadowed by the abysmal field conditions.”
Barstool Sports said the turf looked like a "prison yard."
OK, so they aren’t majoring in groundskeeping. But recruits are buying whatever USF is selling, and it’s worth noting that nine players in the class of 2025 committed within a few days after the photo shoot.
Quarterback Locklan Hewlett told On3.com this after committing to USF.
“The highlight of the weekend was seeing how big-time USF is now,” Hewlett told On3. “It’s a big-time program, and people are finally starting to see it. The recruits loved the photoshoot; it was absolutely insane.
“Everything went amazing with our targets. The next couple weeks of announcements is going to be elite, and people will see USF isn’t playing this time around. This 2025 USF class is just absolutely loaded with talent.”
Highly sought safety Jermichael Gillis of prep powerhouse Lakeland High turned down offers from Colorado, LSU, and Maryland to commit to the Bulls. It is becoming a familiar refrain around USF's Lee Roy Selmon Athletics Center.
Players who five years ago would never have considered USF are lining up to sign up. They know a program that’s shifting into high gear when they see one.