Joey Johnston
Athletics Senior Writer – GOUSFBULLS.COM home of all USF sports and be sure to check it out often.
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Well before sunrise, USF offensive-line coach Tyler Hudanick arrived at his office, so he could organize the practice plan in solitude. But as Hudanick entered the team meeting room, he did a double-take. It was him … again. And why should that ever be a surprise?
“QB-1 was already there, going over his notes with the quarterback analyst,” Hudanick said. “I’ve never seen a young man so mature, so responsible, so accountable. I mean, does he ever sleep?”
For the record, Bulls quarterback Byrum Brown gets plenty of rest. He eats right and stays properly hydrated. He’s on top of his academic requirements. He doesn’t just know the playbook — he often teaches it to teammates. He arrives early and stays late.
Simply put, Brown never sleeps on any of the details.
“His process is damn near perfect,” tight end Gunnar Greenwald said. “Byrum attacks every day like it’s his last day of playing football.”
Brown is an old soul who’s still too young to drink (he turns 20 on Sept. 29). Behind closed doors, he’s a playful jokester, a people pleaser who strives to make everyone’s day a little better. He displays the innate emotional intelligence everyone wants in a leader — selflessness, humility, work ethic and a calm temperament.
Urgency? Competitiveness? Drive? Yes, he has those qualities, too.
“It’s the way I’m wired,” Brown said. “I don’t want to look back on this and have any regrets. So, I do everything I possibly can to help win a game. I do everything I possibly can to help myself get to the next level (NFL). I do that today. I do that tomorrow. When you start stacking the days like that, you build habits.
“I’m at the (football) facility as much as I can be. I keep my mind positive. I keep my body healthy. I look forward to each day because it’s another chance to be the best Byrum I can be.”
The Bulls (2-1) need the best Byrum — and the best everyone, for that matter — at Raymond James Stadium on Saturday night, when they host the No. 8-ranked Miami Hurricanes (3-0) in what could be a seminal occasion for USF’s football program.
If the Bulls pull an upset before a packed house and an ESPN audience — such a positive result might enter the momentous neighborhood of USF’s legendary 2007 victory against No. 5 West Virginia — amazing possibilities could emerge for head coach Alex Golesh‘s squad.
And Byrum Brown’s football life may never be the same.
Setting An Example
Savvy college football fans know all about Brown.
Last season, his first as USF’s full-time starter, Brown accounted for 4,101 total yards and 37 touchdowns. Brown and LSU’s Jayden Daniels (the Heisman Trophy winner and now the Washington Commanders’ starter) were the nation’s only quarterbacks to pass for 3,000 yards and rush for 800.
That production was noticed. Brown was named to the preseason watch lists for five national awards (Walter Camp, Maxwell, Davey O’Brien, Johnny Unitas, Manning).
But Saturday night presents an unusually large platform. It’s the chance to defeat a state rival, a storied program expected to contend for an ACC title and a spot in the College Football Playoff. And he’s opposed by Miami quarterback Cam Ward, a transfer from Washington State who already sits atop many Heisman Trophy projections.
“We know what we have in front of us,” Brown said. “We know what kind of team we have. We’re focusing on us and our process. I think we know how to go about it and how to carry ourselves as we get ready for this challenge.”
If there’s one thing Brown knows well — even beyond his ability to carry the Bulls with his arm or legs — it’s the ability to carry himself effectively as a team leader and a powerful representative of his university.
“With a guy like Byrum, in terms of how he lives his life, how he portrays himself, how he communicates … it’s monumental,” Golesh said. “When he’s (described as) the face of your program, I think it puts a ton of pressure on him. It’s a lot to ask of a 19-year-old guy and it’s our job to help guide him through that process.
“He has tough days, just like anybody else. He really can’t show you he has tough days because he has to maintain a certain persona. It’s part of being a quarterback at this level. But boy, am I proud of how he portrays himself and how he portrays this football team. It’s fascinating to listen to him talk because it’s never about him. It’s easy in this day and age to make it about you. He has never made it about him. It’s about his teammates and the guys in that locker room. He’s a special cat.”
Wide receivers coach L’Damian Washington said he marvels at Brown’s ability to set a great example for everyone.
“He’s always on,” Washington said. “He has to be ‘Byrum Brown,’ whether it’s the football stuff or just walking around campus. People expect him to be a certain way. He’s never over the top, never too low, always just right.
“That demeanor means something to our program. He has a swagger about him. When you go to the head of the snake, if there’s a swagger or a great demeanor, it makes everybody else confident. It makes us more confident as coaches. It translates to the locker room. It rubs off on the defense. Byrum inspires us all.”
Follow The Leader
Talk to the wide receivers, and they’ll tell you that Brown spins the ball effectively. Talk to the running backs, and they’ll tell you Brown has a commanding presence in the huddle.
But if you really want to know about a quarterback, you go talk to the offensive line.
“Byrum is unbelievable for what he does for the guys in my room,” said Hudanick, the offensive-line coach. “He does so much for me with always having a smile on his face, constantly bringing the energy. For my guys, the relationship with Byrum is like blood. My guys have so much pride in everything Byrum does.”
Brown (6-foot-3, 229 pounds) has proven himself to be a rugged force in the running game, capable of going the distance from anywhere on the field, but also willing to physically compete on fourth-and-1.
“Everybody knows about Byrum’s spectacular plays, and he makes a bunch of them,” offensive lineman Derek Bowman said. “But what I notice are the times when he turns a sack into a 2-yard gain, getting killed in the process, then gets up and runs the next play. When Byrum lowers his shoulder, runs somebody over, then points forward (for the first down) and screams, it fires me up so much.
“There are the big, emotional moments. Then there’s the day-to-day, when Byrum never cuts a corner, even if it’s a simple task, something that other people would consider irrelevant. That consistency gives us all confidence. We’re all like, ‘Yeah, that’s our guy, that’s our quarterback.’ ”
Offensive lineman RJ Perry, who transferred from Tennessee before last season, remembers witnessing Brown’s mettle in real time, during USF’s 2023 opener at Western Kentucky. Brown rushed for a career-high 160 yards.
“As a lineman, when you see your quarterback bleeding and taking punishment, but he keeps coming back for more instead of going to the sideline, that makes you hungry,” Perry said. “Byrum’s mindset and personality, it rubs off on all of us. He’s a real dude.”
Cornerback Ben Knox, who accompanied Brown to the American Athletic Conference Media Days, said he originally thought the quarterback was primarily an “image guy.” But after a few days of casual interactions in Dallas, Knox reached a different conclusion.
“He’s the kind of guy who will listen to your problems, not make judgments, and support you,” Knox said. “He cares. He’s the kind of guy we’d all like to be.”
Offensive coordinator Joel Gordon, who works as closely with Brown as anyone, said he considers it a heavily scrutinized load for a 19-year-old. Brown has proven himself capable.
“Forget about the football talent, which is considerable,” Gordon said. “He’s just a good human being. Whether it’s an interview setting or bumping into him on campus, anyone who has had a one-on-one experience with him probably had a positive takeaway. He naturally gives time to anyone. He’s one of the happiest guys you’ll ever come across. To have him as the face of our program? We are fortunate.”
“He just has a way of bringing people together — and I say that as a defensive coach,” defensive coordinator Todd Orlando said. “For the limited time I’ve been around him, I know this much. I’d run through a wall for that kid.”
Fans see the production.
Coaches and teammates see the dedication.
“He’s the first dude in the building and the last to leave,” wide receiver Abdur-Rahmaan Yaseen said. “Obviously, I think he wants to play on Sunday (NFL). He’s already carrying himself like a professional.”
Brown, who’s majoring in Health Sciences with designs on entering dental school to become an orthodontist, said he’s excited about the opportunity to play the Miami Hurricanes, but determined to prepare in the same manner as any game. It mirrors the way he lives his life.
“I have days that aren’t great, just like anybody else, but you’ll never know that I’m having a bad day,” Brown said. “I want to greet you with a smile and make sure you’re having a great day. The reason I want to be an orthodontist is so I can give a smile to people’s faces.
“If you keep your dreams and aspirations at the forefront, if you keep focused on what’s important, the tough times will never last forever. You have to be the same guy. And to be the best you can be, you have to work hard. Simple as that.”
Beating Miami would be a just reward for the quarterback who believes in a time-honored mantra. To achieve what nobody else has, you must do what nobody else does.
Teammates are familiar with Brown’s unforgiving vigil — watching film, studying, working out — but it’s not a race to the finish line. It’s a way of life. And there are miles to go before he sleeps.