USF Football: Spring Takeaways and Fall Predictions

It may be the offseason, but college football never truly sleeps. As the first fall football camp in the Hartline era draws near, there is plenty to reflect on and what the future may hold for the USF Bulls.

With spring camp now in the rearview mirror, let’s take a look at some key takeaways and make a few rather bold predictions about what they could mean for the Bulls’ in the 2026 season. With that being said, let’s dive right into it!

USF Football: Spring Takeaways and Fall Predictions

Crowther Headlines the Backfield

Highlighting the running backs first, Dartmouth transfer D.J. Crowther looks to already be on track to have over 500 rushing yards this season. Not only did Crowther display versatility and power during practices, but he swiftly moved through the line throughout the spring game. It would have been difficult to not notice his presence and the impact that he was making on the field.

As one of Dartmouth’s top offensive weapons in 2025, Crowther logged 1,312 yards on 265 carries playing in 31 games over his collegiate career. Following this trajectory, D.J. has all of the capabilities to establish himself as a reliable option for the Bulls’ offense in 2026.

Breakout Candidates for 2026

Speaking of impact, two players bound to have a breakout season are tight end Wyatt Sullivan and running back Chase Garnett.

Sullivan previously spent three seasons at Florida Atlantic before coming to USF last season. In his first year as a Bull, Sullivan appeared in all 13 games, started five, and tallied 18 receptions for 184 yards and two touchdowns. As one of the few players who stayed at USF following the coaching change, Sullivan has steadily made a greater impact on the team both on and off the field. It really feels like this could be a breakout year for him.

Chase Garnett is another player poised to have a breakout season. In a bit of a different scenario, Garnett also came to the Bulls last season as a freshman, having ran for over 3,000 yards and 50 touchdowns in his final two seasons at Liberty Christian High School.

He only saw action in two games in the 2025 season. However, he was sure to make himself memorable, having eight carries for 81 yards. Throughout the entirety of the spring, Garnett has proved that he is a very good player. Given the opportunity, he can be huge for the running backs.

New Leadership Emerging at Linebacker

Another rather popular topic of conversation is what this linebacker unit will look like without Mac Harris and Jhalyn Shuler at the forefront.

From the looks of things early on, there is no shortage of talent or leadership for the linebackers. Grayson “Pup” Howard who transferred in from Florida, has already established himself as a ‘big dog’ kind of leader. After his breakout year with the Gators, Howards’ 2025 season was cut short due to injury. However, he is ready to make his comeback while also taking on the role of being a leader for the Bulls defense.

Another standout transfer who appears to be in a similar position is Sam Robinson, who joined the Bulls this year from Rutgers. Robinson appears to work very well alongside Howard and was a standout from the defensive side of the ball throughout the spring game.

Freshman Phenom: Masiyah Limehouse

A highly anticipated freshman addition came in cornerback Masiyah Limehouse out of Plant City High School. In his last two seasons of his high school career, Limehouse posted 66 tackles, two tackles for loss and six interceptions.

Not only does he have a lot of room to grow, but there is a lot of opportunity for Limehouse to continue to be impactful and turn heads as his collegiate career is only just beginning.

Kenny Odom Turning Heads at Receiver

Kenny Odom is a transfer wide receiver who joined the Bulls out of UTEP. He’s another player who has really been able to separate himself and consistently stand out.

Odom is a Savannah, Georgia, native who spent two seasons at Austin Peay and two all-conference seasons at UTEP. Overall, he brings 36 career games of collegiate experience with 136 catches for 1,624 yards and 17 touchdowns, also with three 100-yard games.

Odom is a poised new addition to the Bulls’ wide receiver core and can be a significant contributor with his abilities as a route runner.

USF Football: Other Notes Heading Into Fall Camp

Quarterback Battle Isn’t Over

No surprise here, but the quarterback room is intense and far from being settled. Following this year’s spring game, Coach Hartline made it known that the battle is close between LSU transfer Michael Van Buren Jr. and Mississippi State transfer Luke Kromenhoek. While a starter won’t be named until close to Week 1 of the season, it is possible we’ll see more than one QB ‘in action’ this season.

Something that had been made apparent throughout spring practices is that the roster already seems to be meshing well together. Whether it’s feeling things out or adjusting the playbook, each quarterback looks to provide a sense of comfortability to the entirety of the team.

Generally speaking, this offensive scheme is going to look very different from what we’ve been used to seeing the last few years. And, part of that was as showcased in the spring game.

Offensive Line Showing Promise

Under coach Mike Sollenne, the offensive line looks to be under a revamp and in preparation for just about any possible scenario. Early standouts from the spring included freshman Jordan Harrison, Arizona transfer Michael Wooten, and Thomas Shrader who has been with the Bulls since December of 2024.

The Secondary Can Fly

Over on the defense, there’s a bunch of new and impactful additions, and one thing is for sure, they fly to the football. Whether it’s the likes of Tayvion Beasley, or Teddy Foster, or the aforementioned Masiyah Limehouse, the secondary has a very dynamic group. They have shown they can even challenge their own offense while both navigating and creating chaos, each to their own benefit. Attention to detail for this unit could also be crucial approaching this season.

Gramatica Kicking Roulette

The special teams’ unit not only has one Gramatica to rely on, now they have two! The kicking family legacy continues in Tampa with Nico’s younger brother Gaston coming onto the roster. It’s likely that their responsibilities will be split, or they could be alternating with each other perhaps depending on the game situation.

It’s important to also note that the Bulls acquired kicker Lawson Thorn who can be utilized as well. Thorn primarily handled kickoffs throughout his three seasons at Wingate University.

Final Thoughts

While spring football can only provide a glimpse of how the team may perform in the fall, there is plenty of reason for optimism surrounding the USF Bulls’ 2026 roster. From experienced transfers, to emerging contributors, there is depth and talent across the board.

There will always be questions that still need to be answered. However, as fall camp approaches, the foundation of Hartline’s first USF team has already begun to take shape. From on-campus stadium construction updates, to official visits and recruiting news, and so much more, there is plenty happening around the program, and we’ll be following along every step of the way.

And in case you were counting, there is officially fewer than 100 days until kickoff.