What to expect when the new-look USF Bulls kick off their season
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New head coach Brian Hartline leads a USF Bulls team without many familiar faces. Photo: James Black/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
When USF kicks off its football season next month, there won't be many familiar faces on the field or the sideline.
Why it matters: Coming off a 9-3 season that saw the Bulls briefly enter the College Football Playoff rankings, USF has the makings of a program on the rise — but faces a ton of turnover.
- That's become typical for mid-tier programs in this era of college football, when players who show out can freely transfer to more prominent programs, which also poach coaches from the lower ranks.
Here's a rundown of what's changed for the new-look Bulls:
Out: Head coach Alex Golesh, who led USF to three consecutive winning seasons, left in November to take the top job at Auburn University.
In: Brian Hartline, Golesh's replacement, made his name coaching wide receivers at Ohio State University, producing a bounty of NFL talent.
- Hartline, who was also OSU's offensive coordinator last season, played six seasons at receiver for the Miami Dolphins.
Out: Quarterback Byrum Brown, USF's first-ever player to pass for 3,000 yards and rush for 1,000 in a season, followed Golesh to Auburn.
In: Two incoming transfers — Michael Van Buren Jr. and Luke Kromenhoek — are competing for the Bulls' starting QB job.
- Van Buren previously played for Mississippi State and Louisiana State. Like Brown, he's a dual threat as a passer and runner.
- Kromenhoek started off at Florida State before transferring to Mississippi State. He has just two career starts and is less mobile than Van Buren.
Out: It wasn't just Brown — 14 players left USF to join Golesh at Auburn, including leading receiver KeShaun Singleton.
In: Running backs D.J. Crowther, a transfer from Dartmouth, and Jason Collins, Jr., from Morgan State, could make an impact on offense.
- Having lost Brown's rushing production at QB, the Bulls figure to lean more on running backs to keep things moving.
Mark your calendar: USF kicks off the season at home — the Bulls' last year playing at Raymond James Stadium before an on-campus stadium debuts next year — against the FIU Panthers. 7pm, Sept. 5.
- Likely the Bulls' toughest test comes in the season's final week, against Tulane on Nov. 27. The Green Wave made the College Football Playoff last season and is a favorite to win the American Conference.
Go deeper: The Bulls' full schedule