TAMPA, Fla. – Connor McLaughlin may have said it best when he spoke about the togetherness and strong sense of camaraderie that was playing out on the practice field, in the room and off the field with the Bulls this season.
“In this day and age, the NIL era, it’s hard to get people on the same page,” said the Tampa native and Stanford transfer, following a late-season practice. “There are a lot of things going in different directions and it has been really impressive how the staff and team have pulled it together and unified to create some continuity across the board. It makes it easier to play and makes it more enjoyable.”
READ: ‘Roots Run Deep’: USF Original Kevin Patrick Takes Command As Bulls Chase 10th Win
McLaughlin was one of what Alex Golesh referred to as “targeted transfers.” The coach, now at Auburn, hit the portal seeking quality people and quality players who could enhance the program’s culture. Perhaps there was a connection to at least one USF staff member. Maybe Golesh recruited a player at a previous school and was able to bring him on at USF. Or a Bulls player could vouch for a former high school teammate who was in the portal.
De’Shawn Rucker checked one of the boxes. He played his first two seasons (2021-22) at Tennessee when Golesh was the Vols’ offensive coordinator under Josh Heupel. The defensive back transferred to USF following the 2023 season, Golesh’s first at USF. He said the past year has been one in which the togetherness among teammates built into something truly special.
“The brotherhood increased tremendously, and in this age of football that is hard to find with the transfer portal and different guys coming in,” he said. “We not only really trust each other, but we have fun with each other no matter where we are, even outside (of campus). I think that’s pretty big.”
It helps on the field. Rucker noted a high level of trust allowed each player to want to work harder, play harder for the guy next to him.
Such a culture made an impression on the younger players, including redshirt freshman running back Nykahi Davenport. The Georgia native has thrived during this season’s second half (603 yards, 6.6 yards per tote overall) after not taking the field last year.
READ: New USF Coach Brian Hartline Wants To “Build On This Impressive Foundation”
“The brotherhood here is different,” he said. “We stay in the locker room and just talk and chill together. Or, we might go out to eat together or go to someone’s house and chill. Everyone is together. Nobody is left out. We go around saying the word “love” because everyone has a lot of love for each other.”
That love prevails when it comes to making sure guys do not get down on themselves after a rough practice or disappointing outcome. Take the loss at Navy as a prime example. The 41-38 defeat ended any hope of making the College Football Playoff while greatly diminishing the Bulls’ chances of playing for the American Conference title.
“We’re not allowing anyone to get down,” said redshirt junior defensive back Tavin Ward. “We are all moving forward in the same direction and we’re picking up each other. If we see a teammate who is not feeling right because of how he played or the outcome of a game, we help bring them along.”
In no small part, that is what has contributed to this group of Bulls becoming so close.
READ: USF Bulls Are Piling Up Impressive Numbers On Both Sides Of Scrimmage
“I think that speaks to the brotherhood of this team,” said senior offensive lineman Derek Bowman, who transferred to USF from Houston after Golesh arrived. “Regardless of what happens, we’ve been (coached) to be process driven. The result may not be what we like, but we’ve built elite processes. It’s like, ‘Okay, regardless of what happened last week, this is what I have to do this week to be successful.’”
Interim coach Kevin Patrick can see how that attitude has prevailed as the Bulls prepare to play Old Dominion in the Cure Bowl on Wednesday (5 p.m., ESPN) at Orlando’s Camping World Stadium.
“The guys that have been here, and even the guys came in this year, they poured their heart and soul into this program,” he said. “The love they have for each other and the respect for the game, I don’t think I have ever seen it in the long coaching career that I have had, or as a player (at Miami). I can’t commend these guys enough.”
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
