It has been more than a year since the funeral, one of the largest anyone could remember in that rural part of South Carolina. They came from far and wide to remember Anna Edmunds, beloved mother and grandmother, a registered nurse who always knew her career was much more than a job.

She was a helper, a giver. She was also a comforter, the type of caretaker you couldn't forget because she always had the right words, a gentle touch, a sweet smile, maybe some tough love if you needed it.

USF linebacker Jhalyn Shuler wasn't ready for this moment. He always called her Granny and she never complained, not even when her colon cancer came back with a vengeance, taking her in a matter of months. He never knew her real condition. When they talked over the phone, it was never about her. It was always about him.

"She said she was so proud and she couldn't wait to see me play on TV,'' said Shuler, tears welling in his eyes. "But she never got to see that.''

Shuler said he was devastated on that day at the Forest Lawn Memory Gardens in Abbeville, S.C., about a week before his first game with the Bulls. His twin sister Khalyn did a soulful rendition of "Well Done,'' a song that spoke to the Christian believers:

Well done, well done

My good and faithful one

Welcome to the place where you belong

Well done, well done

My beloved child

You have run the race and now you're home

Welcome to the place where you belong

After witnessing the emotional throng, when he absorbed the words of gratitude afterward, Shuler felt a different sensation.

"It was so beautiful,'' Shuler said. "It kind of opened my eyes to knowing how many people knew her and loved her. It showed me what happens when you quietly do your job and care about people. I wasn't ready for her to go, but I think when she passed, she was content.''

Shuler's Granny remains close to his heart. Her photo is on a custom-made pendant that Shuler wears everywhere — practices, games, his classes, the shower.

"That way, she gets to be part of this every day,'' Shuler said. "I think she would be proud. She would just want me to do my best every single day — like she did.''

Shuler, whose Bulls (3-2, 2-0 AAC) are preparing for Saturday afternoon's road game against the UAB Blazers (1-4, 0-1 AAC), said the effort was always there. And at 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, he certainly looked the part.

But after a lost season in 2022 — one that never seemed right after the death of his Granny, then hardly ever seeing the field even on a defense that begged for playmakers — he dedicated himself to improving and filling whatever role was visualized by first-year head coach Alex Golesh and his staff.

The results have been startling.

Shuler, once an afterthought, is USF's leading tackler (34 total, 6.8 per game) and a self-made vocal leader. He has the size and speed, but coaches mostly love his length, an extra-wide wingspan that allows him to reach out and pull down the ball-carriers who might normally turn the corner. From the field level, his sideline-to-sideline intensity is palpable and he always seems to be around the ball.

"Knowing him from last year and his mentality, he has been itching to show what he can do on the field,'' Bulls defensive end Tramel Logan said. "He's getting better each week. He's a major force for us. He doesn't have to say too much. You just know he's always going to be there in the middle of everything.''

Coaches Like Shuler's Approach

When Todd Orlando became USF's defensive coordinator, one of his first orders of business was evaluating the Bulls' existing talent.

Shuler, who came to USF after two seasons at Coffeyville Community College in Kansas, immediately caught his eye.

"We put the film on and we're initially trying to figure out why he didn't play a lot,'' Orlando said. "There's a reason for everything and the main thing is moving forward, not looking back. But I just thought the kid was a really good athlete, physical, fast, sky's the limit if he's willing to work.

"Then you meet him and he's a straight arrow. He's like, 'Let's work.' Sometimes, I get too excited over his ability and I have to remind myself not to go too fast and remember that he hasn't played all that much. Slow down. Don't think he's a five-year veteran. Explain what you need from him. But you tell him something one time and he's got it. He's going to keep getting better and better. I think we've got something really good in Jhalyn.''

Golesh said he appreciates Shuler's approach.

"It's the same look on his face every day and you know what you're going to get,'' Golesh said. "He's going to play extremely hard. He's going to get everybody lined up on defense.

"He's a fun kid to coach. If he doesn't understand something, he'll ask a question. It's always an easy conversation. The coaches respect the heck out of him. It's easy to pour yourself into a guy like that, who's so consistent and respectful. He's highly intelligent, but very stoic and quiet until you really get to know him. He just quietly does his job.''

Shuler was so locked-in last spring that he hesitated to reveal much of his plans during interviews.

"I haven't really done much talking and I don't really plan on doing much talking, honestly,'' Shuler said then.

But much like his on-field play, Shuler's off-field personality has blossomed. He's quick to smile. He's comfortable in his own skin, even as coaches have asked him to be more of a vocal leader.

"At first, with somebody who really didn't have much of a role with last season's defense, it was different,'' Shuler said. "But I'm enjoying helping to get everybody on the same page. I think tough times do bring you closer together. I don't mind if people want to lean on me. I plan on being there when it matters.

"When you go the JUCO (junior college) route, it kind of puts a chip on your shoulder. Some of those games, if you're lucky, there are 500 people in the stands. It humbles you. And last season at USF, I think my confidence took a hit. But you keep your eye on where you want to go. I actually don't need a lot of talk about me right now. I'm doing just fine without the talk. I just want to keep doing my job.''

Small-Town Upbringing

Shuler was born in the Atlanta area, but mostly grew up in the small South Carolina towns along the Savannah River, where the Georgia state line was just a few stone's throws away.

His mother, Glynda Bryson, is a career educator who was nothing but versatile. In addition to teaching, Bryson also served on the area's school board and often drove the morning school bus. When he's back home, Shuler will speak to his mother's class about working hard and doing the right thing.

"When you're the son of a schoolteacher, I think it naturally makes you a good student,'' said Shuler, who's majoring in communications at USF. "Grades are important. My mom — and my granny — never let that slide. I knew how to learn and take in the information. I think it translates to football. I've always thought I was a smart player who knew what to do.''

Shuler won three Class 2A state championships at Abbeville High School (it was four straight for the program, which also won in the year prior to Shuler's arrival). In all, Shuler's teams were 55-2-1.

Last season's 1-11 USF season was jarring. Shuler much prefers USF's current two-game winning streak and the possibility of more AAC accomplishments on Saturday in Birmingham, Ala. Shuler will be counted on as a key peg to slow down UAB's potent offense.

"A big part of it is physically making the plays, but it's also knowing what to do and being in the right place at the right time,'' Shuler said.

Last week at Navy, Shuler provided a graphic example of that.

Navy had just scored and was attempting a PAT that would've tied it 21-21 just before halftime. But the snap sailed past holder Kellen Grave de Peralta, who was crunched between USF's Aamaris Brown-Bunkley and Braxton Clark as he raced to retrieve the ball.

Shuler, who was the contain man behind the ball, circled past the left side, picked up the loose ball and raced nearly the length of the field for an unusual two-point play that kept momentum with USF.

"I ran hard as I could and I was tired after that,'' Shuler said. "But that was fun. That was a moment.''

Shuler already has had several flashy moments — with the promise of many more to come — and he's excited by what could be ahead for the Bulls. But he never wants to get too excited or too full of himself.

If he needs a reminder, the memory of the woman on the pendant will keep him in check. Shuler's Granny, his mother's mother, had a pretty basic formula for living a good life.

"The more I think about it, I'm not sure if I gave myself the proper time to grieve before last season,'' Shuler said. "I thought I would have a lot more time with her. I'm holding on to what she taught me. She said to always be nice to people because you never know what they're going through. No matter the situation, always be a good person. Always be true to who you are. Always work hard.''

After earning his degree, when football is finally done for good, Shuler wants to establish a nonprofit organization for teenage athletes. He wants to impart the values that he was taught and show that there's more to strive for than just sports, such as education and community service.

He made something out of nothing, becoming the leading tackler for USF's fast-rising program. He has earned the respect of his teammates and coaches. And in a sense, he's just getting started.

What would Shuler's Granny think about all of this?

Well done, well done.

–#GoBulls–