Opinion: USF Football Set For Big Jump In 2024 Thanks To Stellar Recruiting

In 2023, the USF Bulls came off of a 2022 season where they compiled a 1-11 record. The Bulls showed significant improvement with a 7-6 season where that final win was coming in a 45-0 victory over Syracuse in the Boca Raton Bowl. 

Throughout the offseason (if we can really call it that) USF has made some big additions through high school recruitment, the transfer portal, and on the coaching staff.

The Bulls' biggest commitment through Early Signing Day came from four-star IMG Academy tight end Jonathan Echols. Echols received offers from Power Five schools such as Alabama, Florida State, Georgia, Florida, and Tennesse. However, he chose to stay close to home, committing to USF.

In Echols two varsity seasons at IMG, he hauled in 22 receptions for 365 yards and five touchdowns. His 6'6", 225-pound stature is something that stands out as something that can be built on by the Bulls' coaching staff.

Along with Echols, USF brought in 24 three-star high school signees and have two more hard commitments at the moment according to 247Sports.

USF's 2024 recruiting class is currently ranked #48 in the country, per 247Sports composite rankings - the best in the G5. 

Through the transfer portal, the Bulls have been able to add four players who come from Power Five schools. The most notable addition is Purdue wide receiver Abdur-Rahmaan Yaseen, who was a four-star recruit coming out of high school.

Yaseen saw his most productive season in 2023 as a junior with 25 receptions for 329 yards. However, his season was cut short as he only played six games. Through his first four years at Purdue, the grad student had 34 receptions for 456 yards, but has yet to score his first touchdown. 

On the coaching side, the Bulls promoted Jack Taylor from Senior Quality Control Analyst to Tight Ends Coach. USF also snagged FIU cornerbacks coach DeMarcus Van Dyke for the same position on their own staff.

Along with the new additions, the current existing pieces are enticing. Right now, the expected starter at quarterback is expected to once again be Byrum Brown. In his redshirt freshman season, Brown recorded the the first 3,000 passing yard season in USF history. He finished the year with 3,292 yards, 26 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Brown also made an impact with his legs, running for over 1,000 yards, leading the team.

Along with Brown, Nay'Quann Wright ran for 847 yards and eight touchdowns with 4.4 yards per carry. Through the air, Brown will once again go to his top receiver, graduate student Sean Atkins who had 92 receptions for 1,054 yards and seven touchdowns.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Bulls were ranked 10th in total defense amongst the American Athletic Conference, but in no specific side of the ball did the defense struggle.

This past season, the Bulls leading tackler was Jhalyn Shuler who had 97 total tackles, 45 solo tackles and 52 assisted tackles. He also had two sacks.

After the season that USF had, they will need to take that momentum into 2024, because they do have key players that are graduate students and that their time is running out.

If the Bulls can play better than a 4-4 record in conference play, then this is a team that could potentially make the AAC Championship game. Especially with SMU off to the AAC, the Bulls could go back to being that 10-win team that they were in the 2017 season.

It all comes down to execution, but the right pieces of the puzzle appear to be present.