TAMPA — There was not a cloud in the sky, the seats at Corbett Stadium were full and the food trucks were buzzing.
As observations go, these are the only conclusive things to come from Saturday afternoon's USF spring game, where the team was divided evenly (through the draft of team captains) and assistants played virtually every play. The call was made and the notable players were even with minor injuries held back as a precaution.
But from a broader perspective, second-year coach Alex Goresh said the Bulls' 15 spring practices (culminating in a 10-7 victory for the white team on Saturday) were a year in the making. He said it represents a collective leap forward from before.
“We're a lot deeper than we've ever been and we're definitely a lot more competitive than we've ever been,” Goresh said. This winter, he was ranked among the highest-ranked recruits in the Group of Five.
“I think, as probably every coach in this country will tell you, we have a long way to go. But I really think we have the recipe to build the foundation of a good football team. Over the next three months, we have a long way to go. I think what happens here will determine what the outcome will be in the end.”
As for Saturday, which drew an announced crowd of 5,168, here's what we saw.
Byram Brown is still here.
In terms of being the undisputed starting QB, Goresh entered the spring game like an NFL preseason contest, holding Brown to just two possessions (3-of-3, 13 yards, one sack).
And Bulls fans should have enjoyed every rep they witnessed. Considering the recent departures of three of the basketball team's top scorers, Brown's decision to remain at USF rather than pursue more lucrative name, image and likeness opportunities after making a breakthrough in his redshirt freshman season. is an anomaly in this current era of college sports.
As a result, USF will benefit from a veteran who is currently listed at 221 pounds and continues to set the tone for the team in terms of preparation and film study, his coach said.
“Physically, he has come a long way,” Goresh said. “He’s carrying (the extra weight) and feels stronger and stronger. He's been doing a lot better growing up. It's really been a confidence booster for him.”
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The same goes for the ferocious tempo.
He gained just 22 rushing yards and scored just two touchdowns (including one when receiver Sean Atkins took a back lateral and found Kelly Joyner for a 16-yard score). Despite this, Goresh's trademark tempo seemed as brisk as ever.
Again, the team was evenly divided, with no starting units (offensive line, receiving corps) on either side being unscathed. However, the Bulls recorded 98 plays (excluding the final two minutes of each half) even with the game clock running.
“This time last year, it was pretty hard to get used to this tempo. It was my first time running at a tempo like this,” said senior tight end Gunnar Greenwald, who had three catches for 49 yards.
“And this year, I felt like it was a lot easier. I think the whole team was a lot easier, including the defense. They seemed to be handling it a lot better.”
Tackle has improved
Goresh said tackling was a “big focus” this spring, and it showed on Saturday. No run play exceeded 11 yards, and receivers on both teams had just 101 total yards after the catch. Ten sacks were registered, but the quarterback (the player wearing the red contact jersey) was basically ruled to be “sacked” if he even made a touch.
“Yeah, even before we put on the pads, we might not have (the tackles) on the ground yet, but we were working on technique,” said Saturday, who had 12 tackles (12) and sacks (1 1/2). said senior linebacker Jalin Shuler, who led all players in . ) and path splitting (4). “And once I put it on, I made tackles every day, especially with the linebackers.”
Archie is truly a double threat.
This spring, junior Bryce Archie may take over as the No. 2 quarterback while still serving as a pitcher for the USF baseball team.
Archie missed the baseball team's important trip to Tulane for the spring game this weekend, which may be an indication of how valuable he is to Goresh. He had a modest performance Saturday (5-of-14, 56 yards, three sacks), but he was once again a force behind the makeshift line.
Sophomore Israel “Izzy” Carter (12 of 23, 123 yards, 7 sacks) scored the only TD, a 34-yarder over the middle to Seffner Christian alumnus Christian Helms.
“I don't know if anyone understands the amount of time it actually takes (two sports) and the physical part of it,” Goresh said. “For him, I think he's competing at a very high level. For example, he's pushing Byram in every way imaginable. And so is (Carter). He's competing at a high rate.”
Contact Joey Knight. jknight@tampabay.com. Follow @TBTimes_Bulls
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