USF's spring football practice is officially underway, with eyes firmly set on the team's key players and their return to the field, starting quarterback Byrum Brown and dual-sport athlete Bryce Archie have both returned to practice, signaling a fresh start for the Bulls. Archie, notably pulling double duty with football in the morning and baseball in the afternoons, has stepped back onto the grass ready to juggle another season's demands, "The really difficult part started today," he stated, conveying the start of his multi-sport balancing act FOX 13 News reported.
Meanwhile, Brown is not lagging in focus and intensity after coming back from an injury, he's all about the incremental gains, every pass, every play, and every practice counts toward building an elite USF football identity, he's quoted saying, "Building our identity … that's what we've been harping on,'' adding, "We don't want to be average. We want to be elite. Take every day, learn from it, grow from it and do what we can to become elite," as noted by USF's official athletics website.
This isn't just talk; the stakes are high for USF, as a healthy Brown transforms the team's outlook from a long shot to a contender in the American Athletic Conference, his previous total of 4,101 yards in 2023 is not something to ignore, and with key players returning from injuries like Naiem Simmons and Jaden Alexis, a rebuilt receiving corps could augment Brown's arsenal, if that wasn't enough, running back transfer Cartevious Norton, who rushed for 525 yards and seven touchdowns last year, practiced alongside the Bulls this Tuesday, ready to fill the void left by last year's departing tailbacks Tampa Bay Times shared.
Brown's personal philosophy echoes his on-field mentality, citing advice from his mother, "Focus on the step right in front of you, not the whole staircase," he has officially begun his climb back to peak battle readiness, emphasizing a stalwart presence for the upcoming April 26 Spring Game at Corbett Stadium, and that determination to improve bit by bit, day by day, practice by practice is what could very well anchor the Bulls throughout their spring season and beyondm, as per the USF's official athletics website.
