There was a very good sign Tuesday as USF opened spring practice. Quarterback Byrum Brown was a full participant and took first-team reps.
Barring any setback from the broken leg that torpedoed his 2024 season, Brown is ready and eager to get back on the field.
“I feel great, you know -- great, great to be back out there,” he said.
He called it “a little kid feeling back out there tonight. I just like being back and playing ball.”
Bulls coach Alex Golesh said the starting job is Brown’s, which should put an end to any speculation about backup Bryce Archie keeping the starter’s role he held after Brown went out in late September at Tulane.
He only had two snaps after that, and both were handoffs in the bowl win over San Jose State after Archie briefly left the game.
“We try the old coaching adage that you don't lose your job due to injury,” Golesh said.
And as an important sign – especially in the transfer portal era – Archie said he’s fine if that’s how it works out.
‘I mean that just goes with the environment AND relationship,” he said. We don't care who's out there as long as we go out and execute, win the game, and do what's best for the team. It really doesn't matter starting or sitting.”
Brown entered last season with great expectations after a spectacular redshirt freshman season that earned him national attention. One prognosticator even predicted that Brown would be among the finalists for the Heisman Trophy.
That went out the window quickly, however. He struggled with accuracy on deep throws, and he was sacked 15 times, including four on the day he was injured at Tulane.
Golesh later revealed Brown had suffered a broken leg.
That all seemed to be ancient history on Tuesday, though. Brown was in his happy place, and that brought smiles all around.
“I thought his energy was awesome today. I think that when something is taken away, especially when you're young, it's particularly hard,” Golesh said.
“You feel like, man, I'm at the pinnacle of my career right now where I’ll just continue to grow and get better, and it gets taken away, especially a position like that. We look at as a leader in a lot of ways. I think he was grateful to be out running and taking the field with the offense. It was cool to see.”
The only negative is that 12 players will miss all of spring practice as they recover from various surgeries. But, one person’s rehab is another person’s opportunity, and this will give Golesh and his staff time to assess the many new faces in the program.
“There are about 15 guys who are out, and we'll get a handful of those back here in the next couple of weeks,” he said.
“And then there are, I think, 12 who will miss all of spring. We had quite a few postseason surgeries, and so we're being cautious there. There are a ton of new faces and a ton of opportunity for guys to go rep.”
It all builds toward the spring game at 6 p.m. on April 26.
USF is planning to make that a day of hoopla and football, with a street fest outside Corbett Stadium beginning at 4 p.m. and an alumni flag football game at halftime.