Halfway home.
At the midpoint of USF football's spring practices, culminating in the April 26 spring game at Corbett Stadium, Bulls head coach Alex Golesh said he's pleased with the energy, competition and overall buy-in that has been displayed by his team.
"It has been really, really competitive,'' Golesh said Tuesday. "We've got about 10 starters who aren't going through it (due to injuries or recovery from surgeries), so we have a bunch of young guys and a bunch of new guys who have opportunities.
"The energy has been really intentional and I'm seeing so many guys practicing at a really high clip. Going into our third spring, for the first time I feel like the standard at which we work in our program and our process every single day, it is getting upheld by the players. They're holding each other accountable, truly making each other better and really focusing on improvement.''
Golesh said there have been occasions when coaches have rushed over to a new player, looking to provide some direction, only to find a teammate doing the "coaching.''
"Does that equate to wins?'' Golesh said. "In my history, it has. It definitely gives you the best chance (at winning).''
Golesh said he loves the effort, but USF needs improved execution. Its only fully padded practice, "the first time tackling since Christmas Eve (Hawaii Bowl) didn't look like what you want it to look like.''
The Bulls will hold a "Student Appreciation'' scrimmage (open exclusively to USF students) Friday night — the first time Golesh has held a USF scrimmage under the lights — and he's hoping to see even more highlights and separation at the various positions.
Golesh said he expects the scrimmage will be a continuation of his top spring priority — building an identity.
"You want to build and set an identity on both sides of the ball,'' Golesh said. "When you look at our first two years, it has been so up and down. When we're good, we're good. When we're bad, we're bad. And it's like there's virtually no in between. That's why we need to be process-driven and always go back to that process — regardless of the end result.''
Offensive tackle Derek Bowman said he believes the players already have established their goal for an ideal USF identity.
It's all about toughness.
"I think I'd like the identity of this team to be a tough ball club that stays true to what I think South Florida is all about,'' Bowman said. "Physical football players who play downhill, play really fast and play to our technique.
"We're going to come out and hit you. We're going to give you all you can eat.''
Who has fit that USF profile so far in spring drills?
Golesh first mentioned defensive back James "Bobo'' Chenault, who had some notable moments last season as a freshman.
"He had an incredible day again (Tuesday),'' Golesh said. "He has stacked day after day after day after day … and he has been impressive to watch. Like, really, really impressive to watch.''
Defensive linemen Michael Williams and Bernard Gooden, plus linebacker Mac Harris, have all "taken steps forward … and the game has really slowed down for each of them.'' Meanwhile, defensive lineman Josh Celiscar, a Texas A&M transfer, continues to impress with his maturity and versatility.
Offensively, Golesh mentioned wide receiver Chas Nimrod, a Tennessee transfer, because "he looks like he has played in this system for three years … and he has … and he hasn't missed a beat.''
Right behind Nimrod, though, Golesh said a standout offensive performer has been true freshman quarterback Locklan Hewlett, a player who could easily fall way below the radar due to the understandable focus on quarterback holdovers Byrum Brown and Bryce Archie.
But Hewlett, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound product of St. Augustine High School who was one of the first state of Florida players recruited by Golesh's staff, has proven to be a quick study.
"Lock is better than I thought in terms of football knowledge and football awareness,'' Golesh said. "Coach (Joel) Gordon said it the other day in trying to describe him. 'He's a little baller.' He keeps pushing and pushing and pushing. He has gotten better every single day. It has been really fun watching him.''
Hewlett isn't the only freshman who has caught Golesh's eye.
Wide receivers Kory Pettigrew (6-1, 180) and Jeremiah Koger (6-1, 190) are "physically and mentally mature beyond their years.'' Offensive lineman Khalil Collins (6-1, 288) "came from a program (Colquitt County High School in Moultrie, Ga.) where you knew he was coached up … and he's physically and mentally ready. He has to make a ton of growth, but he has been impressive.''
On defense, safety Jeremiah Jones (6-0, 185), linebacker Gavin Leach (6-2, 205), defensive end Eli Jones (6-3, 245) and defensive end Brooks Williams (6-6, 220) have also showed well early on.
Overall, players produce at varying levels, showing improvement or needing work. But Golesh said he's encouraged by what has become the program's reliable constant.
The locker-room culture.
"Two springs ago, it was gloves off every day,'' Golesh said. "You'd get home and Lex (wife Alexis) would be like, 'How was the day?' And literally, it felt like a 12-round bout every day, a dog fight.
"I think you're still at the point where you're constantly guarding the culture. But the standard at which you do things is what takes forever to establish. As I've said many times, you're either going to build a team or you're going to build a program. We chose to build a program. You're recruiting guys as leaders, guys who can control the locker room. You're seeing more and more of that. I think it becomes contagious.''
–#GoBulls–
