USF Football: Spring Practice Preview and Position Battles

It’s been a very eventful offseason in Tampa.  After navigating through the chaos of the transfer portal (keep in mind, there can still be player movement), the USF football program is gearing up to start spring practices for the 2026 season, and to say there is a lot to look out for would be an understatement.

With a new head coach, staff, and roster, there’s undoubtedly a lot to unpack here, so let’s jump right into it.

USF Football 2026 Recruiting Recap

In a previous article, we discussed USF’s portal overview going into this season and individual metrics for the quarterbacks. However, I am going to do a little recap here as well.

The Bulls did gain more than they lost. Initially, USF saw 34 players enter the portal before Alvon Isaac withdrew from the portal and came back for the 2026 season. There are 53 players returning, 41 additions from the transfer portal, and 17 early signees. That brings USF’s current roster to 111 players and an abundance of talent to work with.

The main storyline for the Bulls this spring, and as they prepare for next season, is going to be the position battles at hand. That goes for everyone, no matter the position.

USF Bulls: Position Battles To Watch

Offense

Quarterback

In all fairness, this is probably what most fans are curious about. There is an entirely new quarterback room, with giant shoes from Byrum Brown to fill. As of the writing of this article, there are four men up for the job.

Michael Van Buren Jr. comes in from LSU with some experience from Mississippi State. Luke Kromenhoek also has a history at Mississippi State, and received snaps at Florida State. KJ Cooper hails from Texas Southern, playing previously at Minnesota State Community and Technical College. Lastly, Jayden Bradford is the youngest of the group and began his collegiate career at Liberty.

A prudent question regarding this position group revolves around sustainable production. Byrum Brown thrived as a dual-threat quarterback. However, does USF look to continue that trend going forward? Van Buren can arguably be considered the most experienced of the bunch, but each has particular traits. Bradford was a standout in high school but has yet to have the opportunity to prove himself at the collegiate level. Kromenhoek has showcased his ability to hold things down as a backup at FSU. Cooper also has the ability, but still has room to continue progressing and let it shine through.

Needless to say, this is a stacked quarterback class with plenty to watch for.

Running Back

This is another position that has succeeded previously but has also faced its fair share of challenges.

As mentioned earlier, Alvon Isaac is returning, which is huge for the room. Isaac tallied 350 rushing yards on 73 carries last season. Additionally, Chase Garnett will be returning in the backfield and has the potential to be a solid contributor. Tray Kinkle and Connor Matthews are two more returners for the Bulls’ running back unit. Matthews was a standout back at Niceville High School. He logged a total of 3,018 rushing yards and 41 touchdowns throughout his career so far.

Jason Collins Jr. comes in from Morgan State with 1,009 yards and 13 touchdowns in 18 games played with the Bears. D.J. Crowther brings a haul of experience from Dartmouth, where he logged 265 carries for 1,312 yards over 31 games played. Rounding out the running back room is freshman Jayson Franklin. The North Carolina native ran for over 4,400 yards and scored 49 touchdowns throughout his high school career.

Wide Receivers

Heading into spring football, USF has a very dynamic wide receiver unit.

The receivers returning for USF’s 2026 roster include Mudia Reuben, Jaden Alexis, JeyQuan Smith, Arkese Parks, Jayden Davis, and Joshua Porter. Reuben emerged as a vital asset throughout last season, and the announcement of his anticipated return was very well-received. Smith and Porter also displayed their abilities out on the field through select opportunities.

New additions to the unit include Arhmad Branch from Purdue, Kenny Odom out of UTEP, Jaron Glover from Mississippi State, Cameron Sheldon from Virginia Tech, Armani Winfield from Colorado, and Bryson Rodgers from Ohio State.

During his time at UTEP, Odom posted 108 receptions for 1,323 yards and 14 touchdowns. Rodgers is a Tampa native and competed in 22 games over his three seasons played as a Buckeye. He tallied 11 catches for 96 yards and a touchdown.

Tight Ends

Returners at the tight end position are Wyatt Sullivan, Evan Dangler, Brandon Kubay, and Tate Crable. Sullivan quickly became a fan favorite in his first season as a Bull after transferring in from Florida Atlantic. Last season, he recorded 18 receptions for 176 yards and two touchdowns.

Newcomers to this unit include Kade Caton from Oregon, Luke Clyburn from Furman, and Riley Zalusky from Coffeyville Community College. Clyburn has posted ten receptions for 88 yards over his 12 collegiate games played so far.

Offensive Line

The offensive line has seen significant shifts, as it was primarily veteran-led last season.

Thomas Shrader provides a sense of familiarity, as he assisted in anchoring the Bulls this past year. Cash Hudson joins the unit from Missouri State, having played 30 games at center. Caleb Cook arrives to USF after spending six seasons at Georgia Southern, playing in 43 games, starting 25 of them.

There are numerous more newcomers to this group, filled with various strengths and skills. These additions include Ethan Green from Cincinnati, Julius Tate from Coastal Carolina, Michael Wooten out of Arizona, and Kahari Finley from Morgan State.

Defense

Defensive Line

The defensive lineman hosts vast experience and brings in an abundance of new talent.

Michael Williams II returns for his fifth season as a Bull. The defensive end made his return to the field late last season after suffering an injury. Ohio State veteran C.J. Hicks joins the Bulls having spent four seasons and playing in 44 games as Buckeye. Hicks has posted 42 tackles and 4.0 tackles for loss.

One of the newest signees to USF’s defense is freshman defensive end Peter Ramil. Throughout his high school career, Ramil recorded more than 125 tackles, 44 tackles for loss, and 13 sacks. Defensive tackle Asani Redwood has joined the group from West Virginia. Redwood spent four seasons as a Mountaineer before making the switch to Tampa, collecting 47 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, and two sacks over 39 games played.

Linebackers

In the absence of Jhalyn Shuler and Mac Harris, there are huge shoes to fill here.

The unit does return Rodney Hill, Zavier Hamilton, Gavin Leach, and Greg Otten.

Grayson Howard has joined the team from the Florida Gators. Howard has 23 games of collegiate experience under his belt over two seasons at South Carolina, and one spent in Gainesville. He posted a career-best 37 tackles for the Gators in the 2024 season. Dennis King III is a freshman from Daytona Beach, Florida. He recorded 263 tackles, 56 tackles for loss, 14 sacks, four forced fumbles, and two interceptions throughout his high school career. Sam Robinson also joins the linebackers, previously spending two seasons at Rutgers.

Defensive Backs

The Bulls’ secondary has proved in years past that it can be a force to be reckoned with.

The first football commitment that USF saw from this transfer portal class came from Auburn safety A’Mon Lane-Ganus. CJ Cresser Jr. comes in as a freshman at the position. Throughout his junior high school season, Cresser posted 164 total tackles, 22 tackles for loss, and three sacks.

Tavin Ward will be back in action for the Bulls once again. Ward was third in tackles last season with 60 total, sitting behind Shuler and Harris. Cedrick Hawkins Jr is also back for another year with the Bulls. Having previously made stops at Ohio State and UCF, he could be in a prime position for playing time in 2026.

Za’Quan Bryan comes to Tampa from Minnesota, where he spent three seasons and saw the field in 26 games. In his time as a Golden Gopher, he posted 57 tackles, ten pass break-ups, two tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, and an interception. Amarion Fortenberry brings 25 games of collegiate experience during his time at both South Alabama and Kansas. He totaled 58 tackles throughout the two seasons. Teddy Foster is a cornerback who previously spent two seasons at Florida, getting action in 11 games. Rounding out the room is freshman cornerback Masiyah Limehouse. He was impressive at Plant City High School, where he put up 66 tackles, six interceptions, and two tackles for loss in his last two seasons.

Final Thoughts

This is a very exciting time to follow the South Florida Bulls. With a new era underway, the possibilities are endless.

So what should we expect with spring practices? Well, expect different to a degree. This team will likely operate fairly differently compared to the last few years. Also, expect a position battle for just about everywhere; it’s practically all up for grabs. This spring season is the first look at the team that Coach Hartline and his staff have built.

At the conclusion of spring practices, the Bulls will host their annual spring game on April 19, at 3 P.M EST, on campus at USF’s Corbett Stadium.

As you can tell, we’re just getting started here; you’re going to want to stick around!