I think we can all agree that being a USF football fan over the years has been a case of two steps forward, three steps back. By now, the Bulls should have had at a least a handful of conference titles and would probably be in a power conference if they had.
We’ll go into the history of that later, but first let’s accentuate the positive. For that, we turn to this piece in CFS (College Football Select) about programs that are “sleeping giants.”
The article lists six schools: Nebraska, South Carolina, Georgia Tech, and Miami. USF and American Athletic Conference mate East Carolina are the Group of 5 representatives.
“While USF, being in a ‘Group of 5’ conference, is on a slightly different scale than the other members of this list, they still have a path to dominance that some overlook,” the article states.
“Newer fans may forget, but they were ranked as highly No. 2 in the country less than two decades ago.”
As Morgan Freeman said in the Shawshank Redemption, that seems like a long time ago. But, do go on.
“USF’s main advantage is being smack in the center of what is arguably the best recruiting territory in the country. Having in-state rival UCF (who now plays at the power conference level in the Big 12) surge to New Year’s Six wins in the last few years can be discouraging, but it also provides a solid roadmap for how USF can get back to the top,” the piece continues.
“Plans for an on-campus stadium are a great first step, and it would not be surprising to see USF secure a College Football Playoff appearance and a power conference invite this decade.”
These guys have clearly been paying attention to the renaissance happening at USF.
While consecutive 7-6 seasons won’t grab a lot of headlines, there is a lot more going on with USF football the records might indicate. Alex Golesh and his staff had essentially a bare cupboard when they arrived more than two years ago.
That’s all changing.
The talent level on this upcoming team is exponentially better than last year, which was light years ahead of where it was when Golesh arrived.
There is more depth than the program has had since the Quinton Flowers days. There is more administrative depth and support than USF has ever experienced.
The on-campus stadium, due to open in 2027, is the game-changer USF always needed. The leadership in both the athletic department and president’s office is on the same page.
Trustee chairman Will Weatherford, a former Speaker of the Florida House, lit the match to get things going, and now USF is poised to achieve things I always believed the Bulls could.
As the CFS article suggests, I am not alone in that thinking. The sleeping giant is stirring and it might not be too long before it is fully awake.