USF Spring Game Recap: A Look at Progress Under Coach Alex Golesh

TAMPA — The sky was cloudless, the Corbett Stadium bleachers were crammed, and the food trucks did bustling business.

As observations go, those are the only definitive ones that can be taken from Saturday afternoon’s USF spring game, where the team was evenly divided (via a draft of team captains), assistants did practically all the play-calling and any prominent player with even a modest injury was held out as a precaution.

But from a broader perspective, second-year coach Alex Golesh said the Bulls’ 15 spring practices — culminating with Saturday’s 10-7 triumph by the White team — represented a collective quantum stride from a year ago.

USF safety Logan Berryhill (37) is tackled after intercepting a pass during Saturday’s spring intrasquad game at Corbett Stadium. [ JEFFEREE WOO | Times ]

“We’re a lot deeper than we’ve ever been, we’re certainly a lot more competitive than we’ve ever been,” said Golesh, who returns 20 starters (including two specialists) from last season’s 7-6 team and landed the highest-ranked recruiting class in the Group of Five this past winter.

“I think we’ve got a long way to go, as every coach would probably say in the country, but I genuinely think we’ve got a recipe to have a foundation for a good football team. I think what happens here in the next three months will determine what the outcome is at the end of it.”

As for Saturday, which drew an announced crowd of 5,168, here’s what we saw.

Byrum Brown’s still here

USF quarterback Byrum Brown (17) looks for an open receiver while being pressured by outside linebacker Rico Watson III (34) during the Bulls’ spring game Saturday at Corbett Stadium. [ JEFFEREE WOO | Times ]

In terms of his unquestioned starting quarterback, Golesh approached the spring game like an NFL preseason contest, limiting Brown (3 of 3, 13 yards, one sack) to only a pair of possessions.

And Bulls fans should’ve relished every rep they witnessed. Considering the recent departure of the basketball team’s three top scorers, Brown’s decision to remain at USF — instead of chasing more lucrative name, image and likeness opportunities — after a breakthrough redshirt-freshman season is an anomaly in the current era of college sports.

As a result, USF will reap the benefits of a veteran who now is listed at 221 pounds and continues to set the tone for the team in terms of preparation and film study, according to his coach.

“Physically, he’s made huge strides,” Golesh said. “He’s carrying (the added weight), he feels more powerful, stronger. He’s taken this spring and tried to build the confidence within the rest of the offense, and he’s doing a much better job leading, he’s doing a much better job being vocal. Just a really, really confidence-building spring for him.”

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So is the breakneck tempo

Despite netting only 22 rushing yards and producing only two touchdowns (including one when receiver Sean Atkins took a backward lateral and found Kelley Joiner for a 16-yard score), Golesh’s trademark tempo appeared as brisk as ever.

Again, teams were evenly divided, meaning no starting unit (offensive line, receiving corps) was intact on one side. But the Bulls recorded 98 plays despite a running game clock (except for the final two minutes of each half).

“Last year during this time, it was pretty hard for me to get used to this tempo; it was my first time ever running this type of tempo,” said senior tight end Gunnar Greenwald, who had three catches for 49 yards.

“And this year I felt way more comfortable doing it. I think our whole team felt a lot more comfortable doing it. Including the defense too; they seemed like they were handling it a lot better.”

The tackling has improved

USF defensive tackle Jacquez Williams (44) celebrates after making a big play during Saturday’s spring game. [ JEFFEREE WOO | Times ]

Golesh said tackling was a “huge point of emphasis” this spring, and it showed Saturday. No run play went longer than 11 yards, and the receivers on both teams combined for only 101 yards after the catch.

“Oh man, even before we got pads on, we were still — maybe not (tackling) to the ground — working on our technique,” said senior linebacker Jhalyn Shuler, who led all players Saturday in tackles (12), sacks (1½) and pass breakups (four). “And then when we strapped it on, we tackled — especially with the linebackers — every day.”

Archie’s a true dual threat

Even while moonlighting for USF’s baseball team as a pitcher this spring, junior Bryce Archie might have nudged himself into the No. 2 quarterback job.

Archie missed the baseball team’s critical road trip to Tulane this weekend to play in the spring game, which may be an indicator of how valuable he is to Golesh. He posted modest numbers Saturday (5 of 14, 56 yards, three sacks) but again was working behind a makeshift line.

Sophomore Israel “Izzy” Carter (12 of 23, 123 yards, seven sacks) had the only other TD, a 34-yarder over the middle to Seffner Christian alumnus Christian Helms.

“I don’t know if anybody realizes the actual time commitment that it takes (for two sports) and the physical part of it,” Golesh said. “I think for him, man, he’s competing at such a high level. Like, he is pushing Byrum in every imaginable way. And so is (Carter); he’s competing at a high rate.”

Contact Joey Knight at [email protected]. Follow @TBTimes_Bulls

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2024-04-14 01:42:43
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