Thursday night, when the USF Bulls face the UTSA Roadrunners at Raymond James Stadium, it's the annual "Salute To Service'' game, a tribute to the selfless individuals who serve and have served in the military, first responders and others who serve their communities. 

For former USF offensive lineman Russell Everitt, now a U.S. Navy Captain and commander of the USS Essex, a 44-ton amphibious assault ship with 2,000 sailors on board, it's an extra special gesture. 

Everitt, who played for the Bulls during the program's first two seasons (1997-98), said he wishes he could be there, but knows there will be a significant spirit of service present inside the stadium. 

"When people stand and clap for servicemen, I can get a little teary-eyed because it's meaningful,'' Everitt said. "When a young kid is seeing that at a game, I wonder whether a seed was just planted. Will they feel the call to service like I did? 

"I was part of a team at USF and I'm part of an even bigger team now.'' 

Everitt, a career military man who began as a helicopter pilot before his natural-born leadership helped him rise through the ranks, was installed as commander of the USS Essex on July 2 in San Diego, a momentous day for his family and the culmination of a three-year training regimen.

Former USF defensive lineman Shawn Hay, now a regional sales director for ophthalmic surgical sales in Nashville, was invited to the ceremony and brought his 12-year-old son, Greyson.

"It was surreal, but I was super proud,"  Hay said. "Here's this guy I used to bang heads with on the USF practice field, a great friend I used to hang out with and he's having a moment like that. For me, it's the significance of his journey, the entire military career and all he has done for our country. He deserves so much recognition.''

As a teenager, Everitt said he was enthralled by the movie "Top Gun'' and kept military service in the back of his mind. After graduating from USF with a business management degree in 1999, he earned a master's degree from the University of New Haven because it offered training in forensic science, his chosen field.

"But while trying to decide exactly what to do, I felt the call to service,'' said Everitt, 48. 

During a forensics career internship in Sacramento, California, he purposefully strolled into a military recruiting office and announced that he wanted to fly airplanes in the Navy. He was sent to Officer Candidate School, then flight school before becoming a Naval Aviator in 2002. His first deployment to Iraq came a few months later. Everitt has accumulated more than 4,000 flight hours in Sea Hawk helicopters during his career.

"It has been an honor,'' Everitt said. "The fact that I'm asked to lead, serve this country and defend the Constitution, that's why I joined and it's why I'm still here.

"What we do is so important. It's not just defending our country from wars or our adversaries. It's about economic freedom. It's about the right to travel the high seas. It's about space communication. If we didn't have the Navy or the military, we wouldn't be talking (freely) right now. So, all of that fuels my desire to continue to serve.''

When Everitt speaks about directing the personnel on a ship with the magnitude of the USS Essex, it strikes a familiar chord with his former Bulls teammates. They remember a 294-pound versatile center/guard, a mauler with an iron will and a loyal teammate. But most of all, they remember an unquestioned leader. 

"We all respected Russell Everitt so much,'' former USF running back Otis Dixon said. "He was a good player, never a starter, but always a leader. I remember him breaking us down before we ran onto the field. He got us fired up. He inspired us. He was the kind of guy you wanted to follow.''

Everitt's wife of nearly 24 years, Leigh, has followed him since their days as high-school sweethearts at Cape Coral High School. Everitt first played at The Citadel before transferring to USF's start-up program. Leigh attended the University of Florida, then they married in 2002. 

"To me, Russell's whole Navy identity has been as a helicopter pilot, so to be put in charge of a ship like this, it seems very daunting,'' Leigh Everitt said. "But he has worked hard for this. And his ability to lead people, I've always admired that. I find him inspiring.

"Russell leads in a way that makes it sound like it's your idea. I think it helps people be even more productive. That's the way he parents our (three) kids as well. It's part of his charm. I think the average age on the ship is 22, so it's all these young sailors. It's an analogy to football. They're working toward a common goal. There's so much teamwork in play. So in a way, it's a very similar dynamic than the one he had at USF.'' 

Everitt doesn't look like an offensive lineman any more. He checks in at about 235 pounds. But he still enjoys competition and his daily workout.

"You never lose that mentality,'' Everitt said. "You'd be amazed at how many former Division I athletes are actually in the Navy and the military. We have four Division I athletes in the officer ranks on our ship alone. There's just a natural draw from team sports to military service. 

"People know I was part of USF's first two teams and I really cherish those days. I remember the relationships, working hard with your buddies, getting things done. We do the same thing on this ship. We're professionals. We teach each other. We learn from each other's mistakes. But we push each other toward success.'' 

Everitt remembers the thrill of running through the Tampa Stadium tunnel for USF's first football game in 1997, along with the hard work of laying the program's foundation, the camaraderie with his teammates and the pride they all felt in establishing something that would last. 

"All the great wins, all the bowl games, all the players who went to the NFL … and now we're getting our own on-campus stadium? '' Everitt said. "Man, have we come a long way or what?''

Everitt has come a long way as well. It's a military career worthy of a special salute.

 

–#GoBulls–