Throughout his short tenure as South Florida's head football coach, Brian Hartline has been consistent about a key point.
Talent matters, of course, but what a person does with that talent matters more. The right approach can allow less talented players to out-achieve 4- and 5-star players if the higher ranked players don't maximize their ability.
That is not to even remotely suggest USF doesn't have guys on the line who lack the skills to compete with the big boys. It just makes the point that the right preparation can turn a good player into an All-American.
When it was mentioned to Hartline at his media briefing that it looked like there was a lot of talent on USF's offensive line -- because there is -- he had a ready answer.
"So there's been a lot of great quarterbacks and receivers and all the other that never won a championship. So it's not about talent, but the way you play the game. You can find that in the trenches," he said.
"And so although I'm very optimistic, I'd like for you guys to report that we have nobody in the trenches and we are in a bad spot. We got nothing to offer. Yeah, it's really, really poor."
Hartline was joking, of course, and as a regular follower of the Bulls I am duty bound to report that -- on paper -- this group could be one of the best (if not the best) in program history. We won't know that for sure until they start tangling with other teams, but as the saying goes, they look great coming off the bus.
With the exacting attention to detail that Hartline and his staff demands, the O-line -- almost completely rebuilt -- there is no reason to believe it won't live up to expectations.
"Guys are working really hard, but we're well aware that championships are won or lost in the trenches.," he said. "You know, I'm a skill (position) guy, but I'm not blind to football. I'm very confident about our guys and the coaches we have in those positions."
Thomas Shrader is the lone returning offensive lineman for the Bulls. He started all 13 games last season at left guard after transferring from Appalachian State. With so many new teammates on the offensive line, the focus has been getting everyone on the same page.
"If one guy messes up, the whole place is blown up, and that's not, however, other position works," he said.
"So, we're just building on what we've done in the spring, to the summer, to fall camp and now into game prep. We're just going to have to keep building that cohesion, keep trusting each other in every play."
The Bulls are excited to have offensive linemen like Caleb Cook, a transfer from Georgia Southern who was named to the Outland Trophy preseason watch list. Michael Wooten came in from Arizona, and center Cash Hudson transferred from Missouri State. There are 14 linemen (out of 18 total) that are 300 pounds or more.
We're not overlooking the defensive trench, either. It will be an imposing front with Asani Redwood (6-3, 300 pounds), Major Dillard (6-2, 330), and Terry Simmons, Jr. (6-2, 325). Linebacker C.J. Hicks, a former 5-star who transferred from Ohio State, can play along the line as well, depending on the situation.
It probably doesn't matter to the vast majority of the Bulls on the offensive line that Hartline and his staff will run a more pro-style offense this season as opposed to the breakneck pace former coach Alex Golesh favored. After all, most of those players around here to experience it, so in that sense there's no adjustment.
But no matter where they came from or what system they were used to, the 41 newcomers through the Transfer Portal have had to adapt to their new system. It takes time.
"We pushed the install pretty heavy. We've been pushing it heavy through spring, through winter, through summer. Now we're kind of like tuning it down a little bit. Conceptually. We got a lot in, but they'll get really used to how we're going to run that concept, and so that helps, In the end we're trying to teach concepts, trying to teach responsibilities, not just run plays," Hartline said.
"And the more you can do that, you can fix issues. You know, when things show up, you're able to make protection adjustments. You can make different line calls and different combo calls to fix issues once you know the concept. So I wouldn't say that it's helped them in any kind of way. I would just say that once you get to that spot where you are, you got to make sure you reinvest all your time and learn a new system because no matter what you think it is, it really isn't what it was. They've done a good job."
When the Bulls struggled against high level teams during the Golesh era, the finger could often be pointed at the guys in the trenches. Byrum Brown, for instance, was sacked 38 times during the 2023 season.
While USF hung with Alabama and Miami for a while in their meetings, the Bulls were worn down in the trenches.
They trailed the Hurricanes by just a touchdown at the half in 2024, but wound up losing 50-15 because the 'Canes completely took over. It was the same thing last year when Miami overpowered USF en route to a 49-12 win.
And, of course, there was the 2024 game at Alabama. The Bulls trailed by only five points with under seven minutes left before the Crimson Tide's superiority on both lines took over, turning a close game into a 42-16 rout.
For USF to get to the destination Hartline wants, the Bulls have to get better play in the trenches. For the upcoming season, they have the size and athleticism to move in that direction.
Whether they get there or not is all in the details.
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