USF football is looking for a new backup quarterback. That’s because Bryce Archie made the move Tuesday that, for him, makes the most sense.
Baseball America reported he signed with the Cincinnati Reds, who took him in the 14th round of the recent Major League Baseball Draft. A right-handed pitcher, Archie can work out of the bullpen or move into the starting rotation.
Per @BaseballAmerica the #Reds have signed their 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th and 17th round picks…
— Bryce Spalding (@bryce_spalding) July 20, 2025
Jake Brink - $150,000
Carson Latimer - $150,000
Brady Afthim - $150,000
Bryce Archie - $150,000
Dylan King - $150,000
None of this affects draft pool due to all signing for $150,000
Last season for the USF baseball team, Archie appeared in 15 games, with 3 starts and a 3.25 ERA. He had wins against Maryland, UAB, and Tulane in three consecutive appearances.
Still, forgoing his final season of college football couldn’t have been an easy decision to make. That’s true, even though it’s clear baseball represents his best chance to have a decent professional career.
That was never going to happen in football.
However, give Archie credit. When he was thrust into the starting lineup after Byrum Brown’s season-ending injury at Tulane on September 18, he had limited game experience.
Still, he helped salvage USF’s season. He won five of his eight starts, including the five-overtime classic at the Hawaii Bowl.
He wasn’t always polished, but you could never doubt his grit.
With Byrum Brown now fully healthy, Archie would have returned to the sideline. Now, it’s up to Bulls coach Alex Golesh and his offensive staff to choose someone to inherit Archie’s role in case Brown gets hurt again.
There are three candidates and they all share one trait: None of them has appeared in a college football game.
True freshman Locklan Hewlett was outstanding in the spring game, completing 13-of-14 for 110 yards and three touchdowns.
Redshirt freshman Marcelis Tate was a dual-threat quarterback at Duncan U. Fletcher High School in Neptune Beach. In June of 2022, he became USF’s first commit for the class of 2024.
“As the longest tenure commit in our class of 2024, Marcelis has shown that loyalty and trust go above all,” Golesh said. “We have seen glimpses of his ability in bowl practice and are excited for his future in The Bay.”
A wild card is freshman Sam Fenton. He is from the United Kingdom and came to USF recently from the Great Britain Lions U19 squad and the NFL academy in London.
He is the first UK high school quarterback to join an American NCAA Division I program.
Fenton is 21 years old