USF caught the attention of Gator fans after the Bulls defeated a 2024 playoff team in Boise State 34-7 in week one of the college football season. They caught the attention of some national media too as USF received 25 votes in the AP Poll’s latest top 25 rankings.
The Bulls will come into Gainesville with a lot of confidence coming off what’s likely the programs biggest win since head coach Alex Golesh took over in 2023. USF is now winners of six of their last eight games dating back to the midway point of the 2024 season.
USF’s offense is led by senior quarterback Byrum Brown, who is one of the more electric playmakers in college football. In 2023, Brown threw for 3,292 and 26 touchdowns while rushing for an additional 809 yards and 11 scores. That’s a combined 4,101 yards and 37 touchdowns. Brown would go on to miss the majority of USF’s 2024 season with an injury.
Brown is back for final season and got off to a fast start in week one, completing 16-24 passes for 210 yards while adding 43 yards rushing and two touchdowns.
Standing at 6’3, 231 pounds, Brown is a physical dual threat quarterback that is incredibly difficult to bring down in open space. Brown will not slide or give himself up; he’s looking to run right through defenders.
“Big, physical player, will drop his pads,” Napier said on Brown. “Tackling him, there’s some physical things that come with that. I think he does break tackles. He has the ability to outrun angles. And he has arm talent. It’s a good scheme fit, in my opinion.”
Napier compared USF’s scheme to Tennessee’s offensive scheme when Hendon Hooker was the quarterback. The Bulls will also run a hurry up offense much like Josh Huepel does with the Vols.
“If you go back to the Hendon Hooker days at Tennessee, where the quarterback was a little bit more of a run threat. I think there’s some similarities in that regard. He’s a good competitor as well. You see the leadership. Just watching the Boise game, you can see the energy there,” Napier said.
Where Brown really excels is off schedule plays given his ability to move outside the pocket and take off while keeping his eyes downfield. USF will also showcase a variety of run concepts given Brown’s athleticism.
“It’s the unannounced plays, in my opinion, and it’s the extra hat in the run game. You got some read elements to the offense in the run game, whether it’s zone read or some type of gap-perimeter combo. And then it’s just the unannounced play. They’re covered, and he takes off. Those are always an issue, especially with the types of coverages that we play. It’s going to be important. We’re going to have to rush as a team and work together there to compress the pocket and keep the guy in the pocket,” Napier said on Brown’s strengths.
USF offense starts with Byrum Brown. He has his hand in every part of USF’s scheme and is a big play waiting to happen. It’s imperative that Florida’s defense keeps Brown in the pocket and doesn’t allow him to routinely extend plays on Saturday evening.