When Coach Alex Golesh led his USF football team out for the team's opening day of spring practice, it was a completely different scenario from when he debuted in 2023.

"One year ago, there were no expectations of any sort,'' Golesh said. "I felt like all we worried about was us and our process. Now the challenge is there are actually expectations. And the challenge to us is still to just worry about us and our process.''

In summary:

The perception has changed for the Bulls, coming off a 7-6 finish and a resounding 45-0 victory against Syracuse at the Boca Raton Bowl, including a likely spot near the top of the American Athletic Conference preseason poll.

But in Golesh's world, it's business as usual for USF. It's still a day-to-day process of improvement and growth. He still wants the Bulls to get as good as they can — as fast as they can.

With 20 returning starters and the confidence provided by last season's rapid finish, the Bulls have a renewed sense of urgency.

"There's a really cool energy out there,'' Golesh said. "I love practice. I love spring ball. I woke up this (Tuesday) morning with no alarm and I was just geeked to get here and get on the field with our players. We actually get to coach football. That was really fun … and we have positive energy out there. One (practice) down and 14 more to go.''

Bulls quarterback Byrum Brown, who has added about 15 pounds of muscle to his frame (up to 220), said expectations will not affect the work of his team.

"Everybody's entitled to their own opinion,'' Brown said. "That's going to happen. Coach Golesh preaches 'inner circle' and that's everybody in this facility. We're taking it day by day, putting our heads down and going to work. We're not really focused on what the outside people are saying, good or bad. We're just working.''

Regardless of the predictions, defensive tackle Rashad Cheney said one thing was obvious on Tuesday.

"We looked like a football team,'' Cheney said. "You turn on the film, the first day of spring ball last year, and it was like, 'Wow, we were all over the place.' Now we've still got stuff to clean up here. But you can just tell that we're a whole different football team — bigger, faster, stronger and all together. We have a different standard and we hold each other accountable.''

On offense, the Bulls return Brown (3,292 passing yards, 809 rushing yards and 37 combined touchdowns), along with second-leading rusher Nay'Quan Wright (797 yards, eight touchdowns) and leading receiver Sean Atkins (92 catches for 1,054 yards and seven touchdowns).

Defensively, the Bulls return three of their top four tacklers — linebacker Jhalyn Shuler (97), safety Jaelen Stokes (61), linebacker DJ Gordon IV (58) and safety Logan Berryhill (56).

There are three new primary staff members — tight ends coach Jack Taylor (promoted from an analyst spot), running backs coach Micah James (coming from Tennessee) and cornerbacks coach DeMarcus Van Dyke (the former University of Miami and NFL player who's coming from Florida International University).

"I think we have set the foundation to the point where there's trust on both sides, the players and the coaches,'' Golesh said. "Last year, there were questions. Are the players really bought in? Are the coaches who they say they are? Are they here to help me reach my goals. Now there's no question. The guys who stayed and the guys we recruited, they are here with the mission of helping us get where we want to go. The coaches are here for the right reasons and they are helping the players reach their goals.''

What are the biggest goals for USF football?

Golesh won't attach numbers to where the Bulls could go, but he won't set limits, either.

"It's going to sound like a really corny coach answer, but I want us to be the best version of us,'' Golesh said. "Whatever we are, I want to maximize it. I want to leave spring and make sure we've got no questions about our roster in terms of needs or wants.

"I want us to be really detailed in all we do — how we run the ball, how we throw the ball, how we tackle, all of those things. Then, like I've said a million times, if we can be detailed in our process, we'll be able to maximize everything we can do.''

The spring game will be held Saturday, April 13 at Corbett Stadium with kickoff at 2 p.m.

–#GoBulls–