He's a tough-ass dude with a sweetly innocent megawatt smile, a leader of men as a 19-year-old, a hail-fellow observer of life who wakes up happy, reads his daily Bible verse and begins his regimen of spreading positive energy everywhere.

He's redshirt freshman Byrum Brown, responsible for more touchdowns (25) than any other quarterback in USF program history through his first eight career starts, so the imagination races when considering the future. What lies ahead?

That's an easy one.

"Next game,'' Brown said. "It's always about the next game.''

As the Bulls (3-3, 2-1 AAC) prepare for Saturday afternoon's homecoming game against the Florida Atlantic Owls (2-3, 1-0 ACC) at Raymond James Stadium, Brown's USF impact has been profound.

The "tough-ass dude'' persona — copyright: head coach Alex Golesh — showed up in the season-opener at Western Kentucky when Brown rushed for 160 yards, continually making something out of nothing, his bruised and battered body serving as a badge of honor for awe-inspired teammates as he carried the ball 25 times and was sacked five.

He's had a 435-yard passing game — second-best in USF history — and touchdown tosses of 84 and 88 yards. He leads the AAC in total offense (323.8 yards per game) ranks second in rushing (460) for Football Bowl Subdivision quarterbacks.

"We had seven-man (pass coverage), but he dropped back and threw the ball with great touch down the field,'' Rice coach Mike Bloomgren said following a 42-29 USF victory on Sept. 23. "He was so accurate and he hit some tight windows. And he's very, very mobile.''

"The quarterback is a special player,'' Navy coach Brian Newberry said after a 44-30 USF triumph on Sept. 30. "He's such a young kid. I hate that he's going to be around for so much longer.''

At USF, Brown's youth and burgeoning talent are sources of great comfort.

"Byrum is certainly mature beyond his years,'' Golesh said. "He works the right way. He's wired the right way.''

"He wants to be a really good football player,'' offensive coordinator Joel Gordon said. "More than that, he wants to be a really good human being. He understands that it takes work and a process to get there. And he's about that process — every single day. You can't say enough about just how consistent he has been on all of those fronts.''

On the USF campus — and all around the Tampa Bay area — people are starting to appreciate what Byrum Brown is all about.

Back home in Raleigh, N.C., Brown's rise has not been surprising. It's the same kid they've known all along.

The Homecoming King

Around Rolesville High School, just north of Raleigh, they still speak about Brown in mythical terms.

He was named Rolesville's "Homecoming King,'' accepting his crown at halftime in full uniform, before resuming his duties of leading the Rams to a victory. He received the school's prestigious Legacy Award, an honor that typically goes to a faculty, staff or community member. It recognizes accomplishments that made the school better, the kind that will be remembered forever.

The moment that can't ever be forgotten at Rolesville occurred in Brown's spring 2021 junior season (after COVID cancelled the fall of 2020). The outlook was grim when Brown suffered a hip injury in the second quarter of a state semifinal playoff game against rival Wake Forest.

Doctors told Brown's parents that there was no structural damage, but the pain was severe. Brown refused to come out of the game. So, in a scene reminiscent of a 2002 viral performance by Marshall quarterback Byron Leftwich against Akron — when Leftwich ignored a broken tibia and was literally carried down the field by his linemen following pass completions — Brown gutted it out.

Brown, with one stable hip, could plant and throw. When the chains moved, he could hop. On long gains, his teammates lifted their quarterback and carried him to the line of scrimmage. Somehow, Brown guided the Rams to a 24-21 double-overtime victory. Rolesville was defeated in the state-championship game, but Brown's courage still stole the show.

Football was the most visible part of Brown's hometown charm. But Dhedra Lassiter, Brown's principal for high school and middle school, said she remembers moments that never made a highlight video.

"Byrum Brown is genuine,'' Lassiter said. "He's a man among men. He's not only deeply intelligent, but he's ethical, responsible and most interested in using all of his positive qualities for the greater good. So, while there's nothing more fun than watching a smart athlete go at it, Byrum Brown stood for so much more.

"He took on leadership roles. If something needed to be done at school, he was the first to volunteer. If you were the kid who everyone else ignored, Byrum Brown would make you feel welcome. Byrum had the confidence to shake the hand of an adult, look them in the eyes and say, 'How are you doing? It's great to see you today.' He's a gentleman. He's just so aware and he's always positioning himself to be ready for what's next. He's just a cut above.''

On and off the field.

"He's just easy to work with and easy to root for,'' said Nick Shuping, Brown's strength and conditioning coach in North Carolina. "When he was back home on break, he'd call and say, 'I've got to work out. What time are you at the gym, Coach?' I told him, 'Sorry, but I start at 4 in the morning.' So, I roll in at 4 a.m. and he's in the parking lot waiting for me. This is a college student home on break. But that's Byrum.''

"Even when he was younger, if you conversed with him and explained different things, he would take all the information in, process it, then he would come back with questions,'' said Reggie Love, a family friend and former University of North Carolina football player. "It's almost like you could hear his brain working. Like he wanted to identify what really mattered and what could help him become his best self. That's just his mindset. There has certainly been influence by Byrum's whole family. The whole group is wired for excellence.''

Family Values

Brown's father, Drew, the community outreach manager for the town of Wake Forest, is an understandably proud parent. But he also has a unique perspective of gratitude.

"I think God has blessed us,'' Brown's father said. "Byrum has just been a wonderful kid. He's one of the kindest human beings I have known. If I tried to say I've done everything to put Byrum in position for where he is now, I'd be lying. I've just been here for Byrum, taken him where he needs to go, and impressed upon him our values. But I think the way he is, it's God-given.''

Brown's mother, Nicole, the OSHA eastern compliance officer for the North Carolina Department of Labor, said she emphasized respect for others, humility and hard work. Brown learned those lessons well.

"I'm big on how you carry yourself, staying out of trouble and representing your name,'' Brown's mother said. "We're blessed that Byrum listened and paid attention. Other parents have preached the same thing, but the kids stray and go off the path. Byrum is super focused and he knows what he wants. He won't let anything get in the way of what he wants to achieve.''

More than two decades ago, Brown's parents met at a restaurant Drew was managing.

"She came in with a friend and I'm the manager so I'm going around, greeting tables,'' Brown's father said. "I guess she thought I was cute. So, she came back another day with her mother and asked the hostess if I was working.

"I got the word somebody was looking for me, so I see her and say, 'Hey, how you doing?' But I don't know who this woman is. And she's saying, 'You don't know me, but I came in here before.' And her mother cuts right to it and says, 'You know, she's single. Ya'll should go out sometime.' The rest is history.''

They've been married 24 years.

But before it became official, she proclaimed he'd need to leave the restaurant business if they intended to have children. Too many late nights. He switched career streams and hasn't regretted that decision because he has been fully involved in the lives of their two sons, including Davis (who is a 6-foot-3, 235-pound tight end at Rolesville High, class of 2026).

Their first born was given a presidential-sounding name — Byrum Carrington Brown — with the first name coming from a character on a reality television show.

Brown tried all the sports and seemed to have a future in track and field. Competing for the Carolina Elite AAU Club, he was a national champion in the 1,500-meter run (nearly equivalent to the mile) at the USA Track and Field Junior Olympic Championships and placed second in the javelin.

"I think he liked the individual sport, but he loved the team sport of football, the bond of the brothers,'' Brown's father said. "He always enjoyed leading a team.''

As he entered high school, though, Brown was mostly skinny, all arms and legs. When he took the field, that brought some questions…briefly.

"My husband, who was a four-sport athlete, took one look at Byrum and said, 'We might be in trouble,' '' said Lassiter, the former Rolesville principal. "Then Byrum launched a pass and my husband said, 'No, I think we'll be OK.' ''

The mental side was a given. No one attacked their preparation with more fervor. Then Brown physically grew into a college football prospect. Who knew he would land in Tampa with the USF Bulls?

The Road To USF

Brown didn't know much about USF, but remembers watching the Bulls playing on television while wearing their green slime uniforms. So, there was vague familiarity when the first text came from former Bulls offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr.

COVID changed the recruiting rhythm for everyone, including Brown, who grew about 6 inches during the pandemic (he's now 6-3, 213 pounds). Some prospects flew under the radar. But former head coach Jeff Scott and Weis, sufficiently intrigued, traveled to North Carolina for a one-on-one workout with Brown. After the first throw, an out-pattern that displayed Brown's arm strength, Scott announced he "had seen all he needed to see'' and offered a scholarship.

When Brown and his family visited USF's campus, they fell in love with the facilities, the town, the program's potential and the people. Over dinner at Council Oak Steaks and Seafood — "the best steak I've ever had,'' Brown said — the commitment was sealed.

In Brown's senior season, other schools tried to get involved, but it was too late. Brown was committed to USF. If you haven't guessed by now — shocking! — Brown is a man of his word.

An Ohio State assistant came to see Rolesville underclassman wide receiver Noah Rogers (who signed with the Buckeyes) and wanted to know if there was someone to throw passes.

"Yes, we have the best quarterback in the state,'' a Rolesville coach told him.

Brown's father told him to always go with the school that showed the most love and that was USF. Brown could've shied away when Weis left for Ole Miss and Scott was dismissed, but he welcomed Golesh and staff with an open mind.

"We've loved USF every step of the way,'' Brown's father said. "At the beginning, it came out of the blue. But I think we've been led down the right path.''

Faith is a familiar concept for the Brown family.

When Brown was 12, he said he gave his life to Jesus Christ. Brown's father said the youth pastor initially thought that decision was premature, but after talking to Brown, he was convinced about the commitment's sincerity. He sensed maturity. Brown has bonded in Tampa with former USF quarterback BJ Daniels, the school's assistant director of development for donor, community and alumni engagement, and they sometimes attend church together.

"Faith is my foundation and I try to find the joy in life,'' said Brown, who has a steady girlfriend back in North Carolina. "Everybody says you only live once. But you only die once, too. So, take each day, have fun with it and try to make someone else's day.

"I think my outlook is a combination of my parents and just my makeup. I've never been like a mopey or sad guy. I believe what you put out into the universe you get back. So, I try to bring a positive attitude and a smile at all times.''

Ah yes, the smile.

It might be Brown's most noticeable quality. He had braces just before entering USF and now he can't stop smiling.

"I'm generally a happy guy and my parents paid good money for these teeth and got me braces,'' said Brown, his smile growing wider.

He has taken the follow-up seriously, going through a multi-step cleaning process each day, making sure those teeth are fresh and healthy. In fact, when football is done, he hopes to become an orthodontist.

After a recent USF victory in Tampa, out to dinner with his parents, someone noticed the smile. They asked for a photo and an autograph. Brown was happy to oblige. In earlier years, he actually practiced signing his autograph…BCB 17. You know, just in case.

"I like to treat people well and they have treated me very well at USF,'' Brown said. "I have a lot more I want to accomplish. We're just getting started here. I'm having fun playing college football, but the priority never changes.''

With this tough-minded, leader of men, centerpiece for Golesh's new era of USF football, it's always about one thing.

The next game.

With that kind of attitude from a quarterback, with measurable progress at the season's midpoint, it's no wonder that most USF football fans are all smiles. They're discovering what the folks in Raleigh have known all along. Brown's football talent is obvious, but his mindset is refreshing. He's driven to become the best player and person he can be.

"I don't think there's any doubt that Byrum's best is yet to come,'' Gordon said.

–#GoBulls–