USF’s Alex Golesh was the first coach to speak Friday at the American Conference football media day in Charlotte.
Bulls fans are hoping that’s an omen for where USF will finish in the upcoming season.
As for Golesh? Nothing but optimism.
“As we continue to move this program forward. I'm really proud of the team we're building. We continue to set new standards in terms of our program,” he said.
“When we got here two and a half years ago, we knew it was going to be an incredibly tough challenge to get this program where it belongs, which is at the top of this conference.”
🗣️ @CoachGolesh: "We want to be the standard in college football...we've been at the forefront of pushing the envelope and continuing to pour into our program."#ComeToTheBay | #StayInTheBay pic.twitter.com/HzuQ1CDHD8
— USF Football (@USFFootball) July 25, 2025
Commissioner Tim Pernetti said most teams experience extensive roster turnover because of the Transfer Portal, making it difficult to make accurate preseason assessments.
USF certainly fits that category.
“We got 54 new guys that joined us between the winter and the spring, but there are 54 new guys that have added to our culture. We've got 34 seniors. It's as veteran of a team as we've had since I took the job two and a half years ago, 34 seniors. We need those 34 guys to play their best football this year,” Golesh said.
“We've established with those 34 seniors, with these new guys, and looking ahead to what we've got coming our way, a fourth-and-inches mentality, a sense of urgency to strain in every single thing we're doing within our program. I think at the end of the day, it's going to come down to the ability for us to be a focused football team, to eliminate distractions.”
What the Bulls “have coming” is a three-game stretch to start the season that might be the most difficult opening act in the country.
After the August 28 home game against Boise State, the Bulls travel to Florida and Miami. That’s three potential playoff teams before USF gets into conference play.
“I got to know Alex last season. He's sort of my kind of guy. He's an unapologetic, straight, a frank leader. I had a great conversation outside one of the games last year with his parents, and got to know them a little bit, but just a terrific family,” Pernetti said.
“He has really changed the culture at South Florida, and he's brought them back to competitiveness. He's brought back that edge that everybody understands about the program … this is a program that Alex is pushing to compete at the highest level.”