There are many words you can use to describe USF sophomore quarterback Byrum Brown.

Leader. Winner. Talented. Humble. Charismatic.

One word no longer applies.

"Lanky.''

The lanky kid now looks like a full-grown man.

Brown has built himself into a well-developed 220-pounder — up about 15 pounds from last season — as spring practice has begun for the Bulls.

"I feel good,'' Brown said. "I feel comfortable. I can't wait to get out there and play.''

Brown had a remarkable redshirt freshman season, finishing with USF records of 26 touchdown passes, a 64.6 completion percentage and 3,292 passing yards.

He had 4,101 total yards (second-highest in USF history behind the 4,342 of Quinton Flowers in 2016), while leading the Bulls with 809 yards and 11 touchdowns rushing. There were just two quarterbacks last season who passed for 3,000 yards and rushed for 800 — Brown and Jayden Daniels, the Heisman Trophy winner from LSU.

Brown set a lofty standard. If anything, Bulls coach Alex Golesh said he expects the bar to be raised.

"Byrum is his own biggest critic,'' Golesh said. "He spent so much time here (football facility) in January and February. We joke about it and call him 'Coach Brown.' He's literally here all day after he goes to class.''

Golesh said Brown isn't resting on his laurels.

Not by a long shot.

"He's as critical of himself as anybody, which makes him super easy to coach,'' Golesh said. "I think of all the things he did really well. He'll tell you, 'Man, the 11 interceptions … I've got to clean that up. The fumbles … I've got to clean that up.'

"The third-down issues that hindered us through a majority of the year, he feels like they are all on him. They're not. But as a quarterback, as a leader, you take that. Byrum's mindset is really cool. His confidence back there is really cool. It's calming as a coach.''

Golesh said he has challenged Brown to become a more vocal leader. And that challenge has sparked Brown's competitive juices.

"I will continue leading through my actions, but I will be more vocal,'' Brown said. "I feel I've done a better job of that through the winter workouts.

"It's about being intentional. And that's what I see. This team is intentional in everything it does and we came back ready to work. You know, we had a bowl game (45-0 win against Syracuse in the Boca Raton Bowl). That's cool. But we have a much bigger goal in mind.''

Even though Brown is the unquestioned starter, Golesh said there is a heightened degree of competition and depth in USF's quarterback room.

The Bulls return Bryce Archie (who is doubling up as a relief pitcher this spring for USF's baseball team), Israel Carter and Ryan Bolduc, while adding freshman Marcelis Tate (from Jacksonville Beach Fletcher).

"I look at Bryce in the same regard (as a leader), while Izzy has taken a huge step and Marcel, I thought, had an incredible winter,'' Golesh said. "But you've got a guy (Brown) who shows you what it's like and sets the example. It's easy to just say, 'Be like that guy,' and keep it moving.

"The old adage of 'If you've got three (equal) quarterbacks, you probably don't have one, I don't think it's really true. If you have a two and a three, you can certainly feel comfortable. It's probably the hardest thing to do in modern college football, having a real two and a real three. But those guys will continue to compete. I sure hope they do. It's critically important because it can't all stop if, God forbid, something (injury) happens.''

Brown welcomes the competition, the increased expectations, a heavier workload — all of it.

"The vibes this spring are everyone is juiced to be back out there,'' Brown said. "You take some time off (after the bowl game), you go to workouts, you do some football-related stuff. But once you bust back onto the practice field, it's totally different.

"Everything is going fast. You can see what you've been working on through the off-season and put it out here. You're working as hard as you can and it's all about your best effort, then improving for the next practice.''

USF spring football is really simple, almost like a child's game.

It even has a familiar name.

Follow the leader.

–#GoBulls–