It was called a spring football game, but really was more like a highly-organized practice with a lot of cool music and several thousand fans cheering Sunday at USF’s Corbett Stadium.
The energy was certainly high, boosted by the towering scaffolding of the Bulls’ new stadium rising in the background (to open in 2027), new coach Brian Hartline (from Ohio State), 41 new players (from the transfer portal) and several top returners (from last year’s squad that finished 9-4 overall, 6-2 in the American Conference).
Perhaps more than anything, Sunday was a chance to display the top contenders for starting quarterback: Michael Van Buren Jr. and Luke Kromenhoek. They’re vying to replace Byrum Brown, who transferred to Auburn after becoming the first 3,000-yard passer in Bulls history.
While official statistics weren’t kept, both Van Buren and Kromenhoek made mostly good decisions, threw sharp passes and showed plenty of leadership chops — none of which was lost on Hartline.
“The quarterbacks are doing a great job and I think we’ll have a quarterback battle for a while,” Hartline said of Van Buren (6 feet, 190 pounds, Mississippi State/LSU) and Kromenhoek (6-4, 220, Florida State/Mississippi State), both rated as four-star recruits out of high school.
“One of the most encouraging parts is that they are encouraging each other. … They both want to be the best quarterback in the conference.”
The quarterback competition is so tight that Hartline wouldn’t rule out a possible two-quarterback situation in the fall.
“It will come down to whatever is best for the team,” Hartline said. “If two guys earn the right to play football then that is part of the conversation. But it starts with the team, what’s best for the team. We’ll start there.”
Whoever ends up under center, it appears he will have a fine supporting cast, from the massive offensive line (potential starters could average 6-5, 315 pounds) to receivers to the running backs, which include D.J. Crowther (929 yards, 10 touchdowns last season at Dartmouth) and Jason Collins Jr. (1,009 yards in 18 career games at Morgan State), plus holdovers Alvon Isaac (360 yards in 2025) and Chase Garnett, who along with Collins ripped off long touchdown runs Sunday.
“We feel we have great depth at running back,” Hartline said. “They really made some great plays today and they all did a great job on pass protection, they closed the gaps and took on backers.”
Things appear to be trending in the right direction for the Bulls, from the $349 million oncampus stadium rising higher every day to the product put on the field Sunday evening, to the developing community connection.
“It’s all exciting and I’m firmly vetted in trying to develop a team through high school recruiting,” Hartline said. “I want (recruits) to see value in what we’re doing at USF and who we are here. If the portal serves as a supplement then that’s what we will do. … I owe everything to the fans, to Bulls nation, to the school to put the best team possible on the field.”