There's experience. There's quality depth. Mostly, there's a position room where at least 10 players could realistically push for starting spots or key roles.

USF offensive-line coach Tyler Hudanick, who was seemingly patching the unit together two springs ago, said "it's like night and day.''

"We have a veteran bunch and we have a chance to be really, really special,'' Hudanick said. "I call them our program's 'culture keepers' all the time. They set the standard of how we practice and how we play.

"This could be — knock on wood — the deepest O-line room I'll ever be a part of.''

And that's great news for the Bulls, who are preparing for the USF Spring Game presented by LifeLink on April 26 at Corbett Stadium. At all levels of football, a veteran, talented offensive line usually translates into productivity.

The Bulls, coming off a 7-6 season and a Hawaii Bowl championship, lost left tackle RJ Perry, a 12-game starter, but return five players with a combined 87 starts along the USF offensive line.

Considering the promising new faces such Stanford transfer and former Jesuit High School stalwart Connor McLaughlin (6-foot-7, 295 pounds, 14 starts at Stanford) and Thomas Shrader (6-5, 305, 11 starts last season at Appalachian State) — plus an incoming recruiting class with freshmen and junior college players that already are turning heads — Hudanick's optimism appears to be well-founded.

"As the leaders of the team, I think we're finally at a point now where we have a group of older guys who have been here at least two or three years, some even longer,'' said Cole Best, who started 10 games last season at guard and center. "Our unit will be as good as we want it to be. I truly believe that.

"It starts with the leadership, not letting the little things slip up, pushing each other every day to be as good as we can be, holding each other accountable to the standard. I think it starts there, then trickles down to the young guys by bringing them along and showing them how it should be done. Playing on the offensive line, it's a lot of work and little to no recognition at all. If we go out there with a worker's mentality every day, I think we can be as good as we want to be. The sky is the limit for us.''

The stability begins on the right side, where right tackle Derek Bowman (6-5, 300, 25 career starts) and right guard Zane Herring (6-5, 315, 21 career starts) are key returners. There's competition at center where Best (6-4, 315) took over for Mike Lofton (6-2, 320, 22 career starts) at midseason, but both players are re-engaged and motivated.

Jack Wilty (6-4, 321, nine starts in 2024) returns at guard. Left tackle candidates could include McLaughlin and Shrader. Meanwhile, the Bulls also feature plug-and-play experience with Cole Skinner (6-5, 325), Deonte Bowie (6-4, 312) and Teriyan Morman (6-5, 350).

Hudanick said he's excited about the incoming freshmen/junior-college transfers who are participating in spring ball, such as Collin Bellomy (6-7, 270, Powder Springs, Ga.); Khalil Collins (6-1, 288, Moultrie, Ga.); Gerrick Gordon Jr. (6-4, 290, Carrollwood Day School); and junior Khalil Walker (6-5, 310, Coffeyville Community College).

Hudanick described Collins as a "huge bright spot'' who has been taking some first-team reps, pointing out that his high school (Colquitt County) does a great job of developing players. Bellomy has notable "traits and athleticism'' and will be even more effective by putting on more weight. Gordon suffered a "slight injury'' in spring, but has shown "a bunch of flashes,'' while Walker has impressed with his ability to quickly pick up the offensive scheme.

"All these young kids, I think, are going to be starters in this program when it's all said and done,'' Hudanick said. "And the older new guys, I think, will be big, big parts for us this fall, too.''

All told, Hudanick said the offensive line depth and talent will give the Bulls "a swinging chance'' in the fall.

"I think if you don't have an offensive line, you don't have a chance,'' Hudanick said. "To be honest, offensively, that's where we live and where we make our money at. That's the way this game is built. You've got to have the right guys and the right mentality up front.

"It's the toughest position to coach. You've got have five (players) act as one … and if one doesn't work, they all look bad. Our guys spent a bunch of time together. It starts here (in the football facility), but it continues off the field.''

Hudanick said he has taken particular delight in the group's spring development.

"This time of year is always an awesome time for those guys to play different positions,'' Hudanick said. "I feel more comfortable with different guys playing different positions, much more than I did in the fall. The more you can move guys around, the more depth you're building at each position.

"I just want to see these guys play with their hair on fire. Don't overthink things. It's going to be an awesome environment and atmosphere (at the spring game). My hope coming out of this thing is our guys feeling uber-confident and feeling like we build off it going into the summer.''

–#GoBulls–