When the USF Bulls open fall training camp on Monday morning, quarterback Byrum Brown will be back to full strength as the team leader following an injury plagued 2024.
"Byrum is physically good to go,'' head coach Alex Golesh said. "He's mentally healthy. He had a really, really good summer. It was such a sour feeling, a sour taste in his mouth when he got hurt last season. He's hopefully back to being the best version of himself.''
And if that's true, the Bulls won't miss a beat.
In 2023, Brown was spectacular. He passed for 3,292 yards, joining LSU's Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels as the nation's only other player to pass for 3,000-plus and rush for 800-plus. Brown owns 12 USF program records, including his 64.6 completion percentage for a single season
Last season, Brown suffered a lower leg injury in Sept. 28 game at Tulane, causing him to miss the next eight games (although he was in for two plays during the Hawaii Bowl). Brown's backup, Bryce Archie, took over and led the Bulls to a 5-3 mark down the stretch.
"Everybody is determined and hard-working right now,'' Brown said. "We have become a player-led team, which is what Coach Golesh wanted all along. As for me, I'm ready. I'm more than ready. I can't wait to get out there and go. I feel with the talent we have on this team, we have great things ahead.''
Brown's healthy return is the headliner on a USF quarterback room that has been filled with news.
Archie worked through spring ball and summer conditioning, but was also a pitcher on USF's baseball team, displaying a fastball that hit the mid 90s. On July 13, Archie was a 14th-round pick of the Cincinnati Reds in the MLB draft. Although a return to USF football was explored, Archie opted to sign a baseball contract and his career has begun with the Arizona rookie league.
Golesh said he understood Archie's favorable baseball option and hated to lose the player, but added that he was grateful for Archie's USF contributions.
Meanwhile, back in Tampa, the Bulls have a variety of options to become Brown's backup at quarterback. The options also got a late boost with the recent addition of veteran Tennessee transfer Gaston Moore.
Locklan Hewlett (6-foot-1, 195 pounds, freshman, St. Augustine High School) — Hewlett, a U.S. Army All-American, participated in USF's spring season and impressed coaches with his savvy, smarts and football IQ. Hewlett led St. Augustine into back-to-back Class 3S state championship games.
Marcelis Tate (6-2, 207 pounds, sophomore, Neptune Beach Fletcher High School) — Pro-style quarterback who was a three-star recruit. Has a big arm. Did not play in a game last season, but has displayed impressive practice potential.
Sam Fenton (6-6, 216 pounds, freshman, Loughborough College, London England) — Fenton, 21, is the first United Kingdom high-school quarterback to join an American Division I program. Emerged from the NFL Academy Europe-Africa. Played English football and tennis before getting interested in American football.
Gaston Moore (6-2, 212, graduate student, Hilton Head, S.C., UCF/Tennessee) — Recent acquisition who was the Tennessee backup last season. Worked with Golesh at Tennessee and UCF. Played six games last season with the Volunteers (16 of 27 for 201 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions).
"Obviously, losing Bryce is tough, especially at this time of the year, but we knew it was a possibility, and we had a plan,'' Golesh said. "It's great to have Byrum back and the quarterback room overall is very interesting and very competitive.''
Overall, Golesh said his players come into camp with great incentive. The Bulls, 7-6 last season with a five-overtime Hawaii Bowl victory against San Jose State, open at home on Thursday, Aug. 28 against the Boise State Broncos, then travel to the Florida Gators (Sept. 6) and Miami Hurricanes (Sept. 13).
"On a lot of levels, the sense of awareness and the sense of urgency this offseason was pretty easy to sell,'' Golesh said. "Man, if you aren't ready to go Week One, you got problems, right? It's really, really exciting for our guys. I don't know if it's the toughest non-conference schedule in the country or not. But it's our schedule and we've got to be ready to play it. Our team has a ton of possibilities and it's time to get to work.''
–#GoBulls–
