Coach Alex Golesh's first USF squad opened training camp Wednesday morning, beginning an 11-day, football-only span where players are sequestered at the nearby Embassy Suites. For the moment, there are zero distractions. Even their car keys are safely tucked away.
They will have access to the outdoor practice fields, the Indoor Performance Facility, the weight room, their playbooks, their coaches … and each other.
That perfect backdrop will emphasize the biggest buzzword of Golesh's eight-month tenure. He hopes that quality will galvanize the Bulls into a mature, efficient unit. According to the veteran Bulls, already hungry for victories, it might be the missing ingredient.
Accountability.
But it's more than a catchy slogan. It's a standard, an uncompromising expectation, a series of checks-and-balances, a code that is established by coaches and enforced by teammates.
Golesh worked to assemble the right staff. He attacked the roster through recruiting, the transfer portal and attrition, giving the Bulls 38 new scholarship players (49 new players including walk-ons).
"Then the third part was establishing a culture of accountability and competitiveness,'' Golesh said. "Setting a standard where what you're getting on a day-to-day basis is all about winning — meaning the way we work, the way we handle adversity, the way we attack the culture within our locker room, how we treat each other, how we wake up, how we sleep, how we hydrate. The fact is, that EVERYTHING matters.''
Now it's more than an experiment. Now it's reality. Golesh said adversity obviously comes in the form of failure, but also in the form of success. How will the Bulls handle all of it?
"We have it on the back of our shirts every day and I'm sure it's in the locker room or film room somewhere — Be Who You Say You Are,'' Bulls defensive end Jason Vaughn said. "But it's deeper than what it sounds like. When times are bad, when times are good, when times are indifferent, it doesn't matter. We have to keep our word and be accountable. You want the guys to rely on you. Fourth quarter, down three, situations like that. It's deeper than just the words.''
"We're holding guys accountable instead of just pointing guys out,'' Bulls defensive tackle Rashad Cheney said. "I've been in a program (Minnesota) where we succeeded. You can have guys who are bigger, faster, all of that. But holding people accountable, that's the difference (in building a winning culture).''
With proper accountability, Golesh said the Bulls will constantly be pushing forward, regardless of the circumstances.
"In any relationship — whether it's my wife, my kids or my players — it's about building trust,'' Golesh said. "We asked the players to start on a clean slate and give me a shot, give our staff a shot. As a staff, we're going to hold you to the standard of doing what you say you're going to do.
"At the end of the day, that's all young people want — structure, accountability and a real authentic relationship that's not scripted. We want to handle each situation with their best interest in mind.''
What can USF fans look forward to during training camp?
The quarterbacks: It appears to be a competition between senior Gerry Bohanon and redshirt freshman Byrum Brown with Coastal Carolina transfer Bryce Archie entering the mix in the spring and freshman Izzy Carter arriving this fall. Bohanon, a transfer from Baylor who led the Bears to the Sugar Bowl, started the first seven games in 2022 before suffering a season-ending injury. Brown started the final two games and was stunningly successful in a short sample size. Golesh said he hopes to have a starter established — at least internally — following the team's second scrimmage. A former starter may not be named before the Sept. 2 opener at Western Kentucky because "we don't have to,'' said Golesh, who added there could be games this season where multiple quarterbacks see action.
The skill positions: Golesh said there's "elite competition'' at running back, where Florida transfer Nay'Quan Wright and returner Kelley Joiner figure prominently. Meanwhile, "there's as much competition as you've ever seen'' at wide receiver. Transfers Michael Brown-Stephens (Minnesota), Jaden Alexis (Texas), Seth Jones (Baylor), Damon Smith (Oklahoma) and Naiem Simmons (Wagner) will provide an influx of intriguing new faces.
The defense: The Bulls need drastic improvement, particularly in generating a pass rush. Jason Vaughn and Tramel Logan return on the edge, but USF added transfers such as Lloyd Summerall (Florida) and DJ Harris (Texas) to help with pressure. Golesh said the biggest acquisition might be defensive coordinator Todd Orlando, who "really does a good job of packaging the defense where there's probably going to be 15 of 16 guys who feel like they're starters.''
The schedule: Golesh said USF's eighth training camp session will be a scrimmage at Lakeland's Southeastern University, a college field with a press box, so the Bulls can simulate game-day operations. Another scrimmage is scheduled for the 12th practice. During the camp's first 15 days, "we will not talk about Western (Kentucky) in any way, shape or form. We'll have a mock game. Then we will get into game week, getting ready for Western Kentucky.''
As training camp opens, Golesh might be the most eager person of all to study the daily results.
"I'm really excited to go to work with this group,'' Golesh said. "There are a million questions. I have no idea how it's going to go. But I'm super confident that we've got the right people in place from the player side and the coaches side. How they handle the tough (moments) will define what we look like as a team.
"I think confidence comes from being prepared. And I feel like we're prepared.''
 – #GoBulls –
