Whether you're a football junkie, a fan of underdogs everywhere or simply an observer of human behavior, there are universal truths regarding USF wide receiver Sean Atkins:

How can you not love the guy?

How can you resist his personal journey?

Out of high school, nobody wanted him. He became a walk-on at USF. To make ends meet, he worked at night, teetering on the brink of exhaustion with his academic and athletic demands. Facing staggering odds, he never quit. He made himself into a player.

Last season, brimming with confidence and empowered by a coaching staff that believed in him, Atkins had the greatest season of any USF receiver.

Ever.

"Sean inspires people with his story,'' Bulls offensive coordinator Joel Gordon said. "He's not supposed to make it. The odds are very slim for him to do what he has done. But he always believed in his heart that he was going to get this done.''

Atkins (5-foot-10, 183 pounds) set USF records for receptions (92) and yards (1,054). He had seven touchdown catches. The former high-school quarterback was also 4-for-4 in PASSING with 149 yards and another score. He became a semifinalist for the Burlsworth Trophy, presented to the nation's top player who began as a walk-on.

How did he reach this rarefied level? Simple. Or, more accurately, it's an accumulation of consistently caring deeply about the simple things.

Getting the proper depth on his patterns. Providing maximum effort. Working extra after practice. Studying the playbook. Setting an example. It all matters.

To Atkins, perfecting his craft on the mostly anonymous practice field and reaching a crest for USF's spring game on April 13 at Corbett Stadium is just as important as the two touchdowns he scored at the nationally televised Boca Raton Bowl.

His high-profile accomplishments have far superseded the humble manner in which he entered the USF program.

But Atkins will never shed his walk-on mentality.

"We've got young guys, mid-year enrollees, who should be in high school,'' Gordon said. "They see Sean. Maybe they don't understand what Sean's journey means right now. But at some point, it's going to click in the brains of these young guys. And they'll be like, 'You know, this guy (Atkins) has something special in him. He has the heart of a champ.'

"We're so fired up that we get to play another go-round with Sean Atkins.''

Atkins provides a sterling example for more than just the newcomers. Returner Naiem Simmons, who set a state of Florida FBS receiving record last season with a 272-yard game against Rice, said keeping up with Atkins' effort has become a standard for all USF players.

"Sean's numbers are just a testament to what he's all about,'' Simmons sad. "He comes in every day and works hard. He's consistent. That's something the coaches look for. For the younger players or anybody really, if you want to know the right way to do it, you watch Sean.''

There will be no resting on any laurels.

That will never be the approach for No. 38.

"Reflecting on what happened last season, it was a testament to everything I've ever done in my life,'' Atkins said. "To execute at a high clip and build that bond with Byrum (Brown, USF's quarterback), it's such a great feeling. But to me, it's only a stepping stone in the right direction.

"How I'm viewed … it doesn't really matter to me at the end of the day. I'm Sean Atkins. It doesn't matter if you think of me as walk-on Sean or record-breaker Sean. I feel like I still carry myself in the same way. That's a testament to my character and everything I've been taught up until this point.''

Considering his plucky background, Atkins said it's "weird'' to be perceived as a veteran leader, but he's embracing that role.

"I've always been working and trying to learn from the guys ahead of me,'' Atkins said. "The young guys now, sure, I'll take them under my wing. When you're young, you get frustrated by a whole bunch of stuff.

"But it's all about having a next-play mentality. I want to give them the right blueprint to execute at a high level. Hopefully I can help with that, and they can continue to build on their own thing.''

For Bulls head coach Alex Golesh, the mere presence of Atkins in the locker room carries intangible benefits.

"He's such an easy example to point to and show what can happen when you put your head down and work,'' Golesh said. "I think Sean was just scratching the surface last season. Now his challenge is can he continue to get his body right and continue to study the game?

"He has put on weight (8 pounds). He's more confident. The way he's practicing is electric. He has grown tremendously both physically and mentally. He has taken that step as a leader. He has put the onus of the receiver room on his back. I'm really proud of him.''

Sean Atkins has enjoyed quite the journey at USF — and it's still going strong.

How can you not love it?

–#GoBulls–