South Florida Bulls Football: A Comprehensive Overview

The South Florida Bulls football team represents the University of South Florida (USF) and competes in the American Conference (The American) of the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) within the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). With a history spanning over two decades, the Bulls have experienced periods of success, challenges, and continuous growth. This article delves into various aspects of the USF football program, including its origins, notable seasons, rivalries, coaching changes, and recent developments.

Program Origins and Early Years

The South Florida Bulls football program began in 1997. Jim Leavitt, previously the co-defensive coordinator at Kansas State, was hired as the team's first head coach. The team's initial meeting was held under a shade tree due to the lack of proper football facilities on campus.

From 1997 to 2000, the Bulls competed as a Division I-AA (now Division I FCS) independent team. During this time, they achieved a winning record three times and received rankings in the AP Poll twice. The 2000 season, their final year in Division I-AA, was particularly noteworthy as the Bulls defeated three teams ranked in the top 15: No. 13 James Madison, No. 6 Western Kentucky, and No. 1 Troy State, as well as Division I-A Connecticut.

Rise to National Prominence

The 2007 football season marked a significant milestone for the Bulls as they entered both the AP Poll and BCS standings for the first time. Their ascent began after defeating No. 17 Auburn 26-23 in overtime, followed by a 37-10 victory over North Carolina. The Bulls continued their impressive run by defeating No. 5 West Virginia 21-13 and FAU 35-23. The team reached its peak at No. 2 in the country after defeating UCF 64-12. However, their high ranking was short-lived as injuries led to three consecutive losses. Despite this setback, the Bulls rebounded and won their final three regular-season games, finishing the season ranked No. 21 in the BCS standings and No. 23 in the AP Poll.

Key Seasons and Coaching Transitions

The Taggart Era

In Willie Taggart's third season, bolstered by the second-best recruiting class in the American Athletic Conference, the Bulls achieved an 8-5 record. After a 1-3 start with losses to FSU, Maryland, and Memphis, USF won seven of their next eight games, including a 44-23 upset of No. 22 Temple, a 65-27 victory over Cincinnati, and a 44-3 victory over in-state rival UCF. The Bulls earned a bid to the Miami Beach Bowl against Taggart's former team, Western Kentucky, but lost 45-35. Despite the loss, the game saw multiple school records being set, including single-season rushing yards (1,381) and 100-yard rushing games (9) by Marlon Mack, and single-season receiving yards (822) by Rodney Adams.

Before the 2016 season, many media outlets predicted that the Bulls would win the East division of the American and play the University of Houston in the American Athletic Conference Football Championship Game. However, despite finishing the season tied with Temple for 1st place in the East division, a Week 8 loss to the Owls prevented USF from playing in the championship game.

During the 2016 season, Marlon Mack surpassed Andre Hall to become the leading rusher in program history in a Week 5 game against Cincinnati. Two weeks later, against UConn, Mack also became the program leader in rushing touchdowns, passing B.J. Daniels. Coach Taggart was subsequently included on the watch list for the Paul "Bear" Bryant Coach of the Year Award.

In a Week 9 game against No. 22 Navy, the Bulls set a school record for rushing yards in a game, accumulating 412 yards in a 52-45 victory. This record was broken two weeks later against Memphis, with 416 rushing yards in a 49-42 victory. The Bulls also broke the school record for offensive touchdowns in a season (58) in that game. In a Week 12 game against SMU, Quinton Flowers passed Matt Grothe to become the school leader in single-season total offense. The Bulls secured their first 10-win season after a 48-31 victory over UCF in Week 13. During that game, Quinton Flowers set the school record for single-season rushing yards (1,425), surpassing Marlon Mack's 2015 mark.

On November 30, 2016, Quinton Flowers was named the American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year, marking the first such award in school history. On December 7, 2016, Willie Taggart was announced as Oregon's new head coach, following the firing of Mark Helfrich.

The Strong Years

Before the 2017 season, the American Athletic Conference Media Poll favored USF to win the 2017 American Athletic Conference Championship Game and unanimously picked them to win the East division. On August 3, the Bulls were ranked No. 21 in the preseason Amway Coaches Poll. Quinton Flowers was named to the Manning Award Watch List on August 19, making him the first Bull to be named to five preseason watch lists. On August 21, the Bulls were ranked No. 19 in the preseason AP Poll, matching their highest preseason ranking in school history (2008).

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In their Week 1 game against San Jose State, the Bulls set school records for rushing attempts (74) and total plays (101) in a single game. On September 15, they achieved their first victory over a Big Ten opponent, defeating Illinois 47-23. During this game, the Bulls totaled 680 yards of offense, the second-most in program history, and the most against an FBS opponent.

During the Bulls' Week 4 game against Temple, Quinton Flowers became the program leader in both rushing touchdowns and total touchdowns. The Bulls allowed only 85 yards of total offense, a program record against an FBS opponent. With this win, the Bulls extended their winning streak to nine games, a program record. A 33-3 win over Cincinnati in Week 7 extended their streak of 30-plus point games to 23, matching the AP Poll era record set by Oregon from 2011 to 2012. The Bulls also extended their winning streak to 11 games, the longest active streak in the country, and equaled the best start in program history (6-0), previously accomplished in 2007.

On October 18, Coach Strong was named on the watch list for the Paul "Bear" Bryant Coach of the Year Award. A 34-28 win over Tulane in Week 8 extended their streak of 30-plus point games to 24, setting the AP Poll era record. This win also gave USF their best start in program history (7-0). On November 2, Quinton Flowers was named a finalist for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award. During the Bulls' Week 13 game against rival UCF, Quinton Flowers passed Matt Grothe to become the program's all-time leader in total yards and set single-game records for passing yards (503) and total yards (605).

The Bulls' 2018 recruiting class was ranked second in the American Athletic Conference, behind only Cincinnati. On July 24, the American Athletic Conference Media Poll ranked USF third, behind Memphis and UCF, and as the favorites to win the East Division. During the Bulls' Week 6 game against UMass, RB Jordan Cronkrite rushed for 302 yards, setting both USF and American Athletic Conference records for rushing yards in a game. On October 16, Coach Strong was named to the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award watchlist. After starting the season 7-0, tying the record for the best start in school history, the Bulls lost their next five games to end the regular season 7-5. Despite this, they were selected to play in the Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl against Marshall, which they lost 38-20.

The Bulls struggled in Coach Strong's third year, finishing with a record of 4-8.

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Recent Years

During Scott's first season, the Bulls suffered their worst loss in program history, a 52-0 defeat in a Week 3 game against No. 7 Cincinnati.

The 2021 season saw the Bulls start 0-2, with losses to No. 25 NC State and No. 13 Florida, but they snapped their 10-game losing streak with a 38-17 win against Florida A&M. On October 23, the team won their first game against an FBS opponent in the Jeff Scott era after beating Temple 34-14. Before the final game of the season, Coach Scott fired defensive coordinator Glenn Spencer and replaced him with Bob Shoop. The team finished the 2021 season with a 2-10 record, but after the regular season, sophomore running back Brian Battie earned several First Team All-America selections.

When 247Sports launched the Transfer Team Rankings in 2021, the Bulls opened at No. 1. South Florida fired Scott and defensive coordinator Bob Shoop on November 6, 2022, following a 1-8 start to the season.

The Golesh Era

The Bulls showed tremendous improvement in Golesh's first season, finishing with a 6-6 record in the regular season and becoming bowl eligible for the first time since 2018. During the Week 11 game against Temple, wide receiver Sean Atkins set the program record for receptions in a season, surpassing the previous record held by Rodney Adams. The following week, against UTSA, he set the program record for receiving yards in a season, surpassing Marquez Valdes-Scantling's record. In a game against Charlotte, quarterback Byrum Brown set the program record for passing yards in a season, becoming the first quarterback in school history to pass for more than 3,000 yards in a season.

Going into the 2024 season, the Bulls had the top-ranked recruiting class in the American Conference. The Bulls finished the 2024 regular season with a 6-6 record and earned an invitation to the Hawaii Bowl, where they played San Jose State. During the Week 8 game against UAB, wide receiver Sean Atkins passed Andre Davis for the most receptions in program history. Later in the season, during the Week 14 game against Rice, Atkins joined Andre Davis as the only receivers in program history with over 2,000 receiving yards. In their Week 12 win against Charlotte, the Bulls set a program record with 425 rushing yards. In Week 13, they set a program record for total yards against an FBS opponent, tallying 715 yards in a win against Tulsa. The Bulls ended the season by winning The Hawaii Bowl 41-39 in 5OT.

For the 2025 season, the Bulls had the second-ranked recruiting class in the American Conference behind Memphis. The Bulls continued to improve under Golesh, finishing the regular season with a 9-3 record. They started the season with wins over No. 25 Boise State and No. 13 Florida, marking their first back-to-back wins over ranked opponents in program history. On September 30th, Cole Best was named to the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Watchlist. On October 2nd, Byrum Brown was named to the Maxwell Award Watchlist. On October 15th, Alex Golesh was named to the Bear Bryant Coach of the Year Watchlist. On October 16th, Mac Harris was named to The Sporting News Mid-Season All-America Team. On October 22nd, Alex Golesh was named to the Dodd Trophy Midseason Watchlist. On October 23rd, Byrum Brown was named to the Manning Award Watchlist. On October 30th, Byrum Brown was selected to the Davey O’Brien QB class. On November 12th, Byrum Brown was named a Davey O’Brien Award Semifinalist. On November 20th, Christian Helm was named the Freddie Solomon Community Spirit Award Winner. On November 25th, Joel Gordon was named a Broyles Award Nominee.

Bowl Game History

South Florida has participated in 13 bowl games, with a record of 8-5.

Home Stadium and Fan Support

The Bulls played their home games at Tampa Stadium during their debut season in 1997 and the first two games of the 1998 season before moving to the newly completed Raymond James Stadium.

The Bulls have a strong home-field advantage, with a 115-67 record in home games and a 107-65 record at Raymond James Stadium as of the end of the 2025 season. This includes a streak of 21 straight home victories from 1999 to 2003. They also have a 25-4 record in home openers.

Rivalries

Before major conference realignment in the early 2010s, USF had many competitive games with Louisville and West Virginia. The university's biggest rival historically is their in-state rival, the University of Central Florida, with games played from 2005 to 2008 and since 2013. Known as the War on I-4, the rivalry with UCF began in 2005 and was played annually from 2013-2022. The annual match came to an end after the 2022 season when UCF moved to the Big 12 in 2023. USF won all four games played from 2005-2008.

Current Roster

The South Florida Bulls football roster includes a diverse group of players across various positions. Here's a glimpse of some active players:

Alexis, Jaden: Wide Receiver
Amer, Amer: Linebacker
Bellomy, Colin: Offensive Tackle
Bonnett, Easton: Long Snapper
Bowden, DeAngelo: Linebacker
Bowman, Derek: Offensive Tackle
Brown, Chavez: Linebacker
Brown IV, George: Safety
Carter, Braden: Offensive Tackle
Cates, Garret: Long Snapper
Celiscar, Josh: Defensive Tackle
Chenault, James: Cornerback
Chisholm, Braden: Defensive Tackle
Cobb, Cameron: Wide Receiver
Collins, Khalil: Offensive Guard
Crable, Tayte: Tight End
Dalias, Jermaine: Safety
Dangler, Evan: Tight End
Davis, Jayden: Wide Receiver
Duclona, Jonas: Cornerback
Fenton, Sam: Quarterback
Flowers, Dennard: Defensive End
Franklin, Sam: Running Back
Garnett, Chase: Running Back
Gillis, Jermichael: Safety
Goater, Luke: Punter
Gordon Jr., Gerrick: Offensive Guard
Gramatica, Nico: Placekicker
Grant, Jahari: Defensive Tackle
Guy, Izaiah: Cornerback
Hamilton, Zavier: Linebacker
Harris, Caleb: Offensive Tackle
Harris, D.J.: Defensive End/Outside Linebacker
Harris, Mac: Linebacker
Hawkins Jr., Cedrick: Safety
Helms, Christian: Wide Receiver
Herring, Zane: Offensive Tackle/Offensive Guard
Hill, Rodney: Linebacker
Isaac, Alvon: Running Back
Jean, Daron: Defensive Back
Jenkins, James: Offensive Tackle
Jenkins, Ryan: Defensive Tackle
Johnson, Jaylen: Running Back
Johnson, Ryan: Linebacker
Jones, Eli: Defensive End
Kinkle, Tray: Running Back
Knox, Ben: Cornerback
Kubay, Brandon: Tight End
Lawrence, TJ: Offensive Tackle
Leach, Gavin: Linebacker
Lee, Devin: Defensive Tackle
Lee, Jarvis: Cornerback
Leon, Chase: Punter
Lofton, Mike: Center
Major, Tyreek: Offensive Guard
Mallary Jr., Dorian: Cornerback
Mathews, Connor: Running Back
McCormick Jr., Derrick: Linebacker
McLaughlin, Connor: Offensive Tackle
McLaughlin, Turner: Long Snapper
Merrifield, Jacob: Defensive Tackle
Mitchell, Traevon: Defensive Tackle
Moore, Gaston: Quarterback
Morman, Teriyan: Offensive Guard
Mosley, Ashton: Defensive End/Outside Linebacker
Murphy, Jair: Cornerback
Nicholl, Rocco: Linebacker
Norton, Cartevious: Running Back
Otten, Greg: Linebacker
Parks, Arkese: Wide Receiver
Perry Jr., Herlin: Cornerback
Platt, Deylen: Cornerback
Porter, Joshua: Wide Receiver
Reuben, Mudia: Wide Receiver
Roberts, Cade: Wide Receiver
Rucker, De'Shawn: Cornerback
Scott III, Richard: Defensive End
Shrader, Thomas: Offensive Guard
Shuler, Jhalyn: Linebacker
Silvera, Boogsie: Safety
Singleton, Ira: Defensive End/Outside Linebacker
Smiley, Levi: Defensive End
Smith, Christian: Linebacker
Smith, Jabari: Safety
Smith, JeyQuan: Wide Receiver
Stokes, Jaelen: Safety
Storey, Jack: Offensive Line
Sullivan, Wyatt: Tight End
Walker, Khalil: Offensive Line
Ward, Tavin: Safety
Watson III, Rico: Defensive End/Outside Linebacker
Williams, Marcus: Defensive Tackle
Williams, Tyler: Wide Receiver
Williams II, Michael: Defensive End
Williams Jr., Brooks: Defensive End

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