USF Football: Spring Game Recap

Over the past several weeks, I had the privilege of covering USF Bulls football! Through practice viewings and media press conferences, I gained deeper insight into the team and experienced the sights and sounds of spring ball. One thing I can say for sure is that there wasn’t a single day that the energy wasn’t elite. The team showed up every day ready to work and consistently gave it their all. I wasn’t surprised, but I was continuously impressed, to say the least. The USF spring season concluded with the annual spring game this past Saturday night.

The team made their first appearance back on the field for a 6 p.m. kickoff in front of 5,360 fans, and the nearly 100-degree heat in Tampa didn’t hinder the energy in the stadium.

Starting two hours prior with the Street Fest outside USF’s Corbett Stadium, the area was filled with student organizations, local businesses, bounce houses, food trucks, games, and featured music from the Bulls’ very own Herd Of Thunder Marching Band.

Due to the transfer portal’s effects and an abundance of postseason surgeries, the lineup for the spring game looked different from what we might have expected coming off last season. In an attempt to preserve an already slim roster, this year’s spring game format was four quarters, a running clock, and an offense vs defense matchup.

USF Football: Spring Game Highlights

Standout Offense

A frequently asked question heading into this scrimmage was who would play quarterback. For the spring game, the Bulls’ QB1 did not suit up.

Starter Byrum Brown, out of caution, did not play on Saturday night. Having had plenty of reps during the past 15 spring practices, Brown has looked stronger than ever after recovering from a leg injury suffered last season against Tulane. However, after recently straining his hamstring, head coach Alex Golesh and the athletic training staff decided it would be best to have Byrum sit this one out, remarking that if it were a real game, he would’ve played.

We did see a lot of action from QBs Bryce Archie, true freshman Locklan Hewlett, and Marcelis Tate. Hewlett was the standout QB of the night, throwing plenty of clean passes and displaying fluid movement in every aspect of the game. Locklan went 13-14 for 110 yards and three touchdowns.

Additionally, wideout Brandon Winton had a very impressive performance. Multiple connections between Hewlett and Winton led to big yardage and two trips to the end zone.

Running back Alvon Issac was another player we saw a lot of throughout this spring game. Consistently securing the ball and going on long runs, Issac was a difficult stop for the defense. He had nine carries for 50 yards in his action throughout the night.

Outside of Winton, JeyQuan Smith had a good performance. After not seeing much action last season, he made a connection with Hewlett to put up the first points on the board. He may have also showcased his new touchdown celebration dance in the process.

Other standouts on the offense were tight end Jonathan Echols, running back Nykahi Davenport, tight end Wyatt Sullivan, and wide receiver Jeremiah Koger. Each of them was a major contributor to this offensive scheme, which continuously ran at a breakneck pace.

Powerful Defense

Shifting gears to the defense, both veteran players and newcomers excelled throughout the night. The defense recorded 12 sacks and two interceptions, which came from cornerback James Chenault and safety Jaelen Stokes. Chenault also contributed four tackles throughout the night.

One of the other standout players on defense was new defensive lineman Josh Celiscar. The Texas A&M transfer totaled six tackles, two sacks, and two and a half tackles for loss.

Additional contributors on the defensive side of the ball included Ira Singleton, linebacker Rodney Hill, safety Jarvis Lee, cornerback Jonas Duclona, and Ashton Mosley.

Overall, the defense played excellent man-to-man coverage, secured multiple pass breakups, and was very entertaining to watch throughout the entirety of this spring game.

Special Teams

Looking at special teams, sophomore kicker Nico Gramatica had a perfect 47-yard field goal just before halftime. Kicker Adam Zouagui also had several field-goal attempts throughout the game.

Final Thoughts

The ultimate win for the USF Bulls was that this spring game was a lot of fun and that, as far as we know, no one was injured. The athletic training staff only had to come out on the field once, which is a significant win in itself. That wraps up a fun spring football season in Tampa!

With an intriguing spring game and an electric crowd of fans in the stands, Bulls football is ready to take on the role and continues to raise the standard.

As we approach summer training, which starts in just a few weeks, Coach Golesh and the team are aiming for more than just bowl games this season. USF is actively working to close the gap toward reaching the College Football Playoffs, and it’s safe to say that they are very close to achieving that goal.