TAMPA, Fla. — The first day of spring football practice takes a little getting used to, especially for a first-year head coach like USF's Alex Golesh.
"I was trying to figure out what to do, at times," Golesh joked after the first session. "In terms of meandering over to different individuals. Went and hung out with the defense, and that was fun. That was the first time in 20 years that I’ve done that. All we’ve talked about is team, and team, and team. And I’m in it with ya, I’m in it with ya."
Golesh, 38, is an offensive coach who spent the past two seasons calling plays at the University of Tennessee. He did admit that old habits can die hard when it comes to keeping both eyes on one side of the practice field.
"I had a plan, and then I got bored over there, so I went back to the offense," he said.
USF won four games total—only one against an FBS team—over the past three seasons, but Golesh isn't interested in studying recent history. He said he's all about raising the energy level and building positivity at practice.
"I was over there as a hype guy, and I’m always going to be a hype guy," Golesh added. "We talked zero about a year ago, what it looked like. We’re moving one direction, forward."
One of coach Golesh's main priorities is the continued upgrades to the team's brand-new indoor practice facility. Plans for expansion are underway, as well as plans for an on-campus stadium.
"Kids waking up, doing whatever they do before a game, and walking to that stadium. I think that’s one of the coolest parts of college football," Golesh said as he described wanting to get the Tampa Bay community involved in Bulls football. "What it’ll do for the past 26 years of football players that came through here and built—through the good and the bad—built this place. To walk by there and tell their kiddos, 'I built that.'”
Gaither High School grad and USF offensive lineman Donovan Jennings is just happy to get one more chance to put on a Bulls uniform. The graduate student got another year of eligibility after breaking his left leg in week four at Louisville.
"I’m just so grateful that I get to experience it. Because a lot of my past teammates, they always wanted to be in this and practice in this," Jennings said when referring to the team's indoor practice facility. "Just me being able to do it is actually amazing. I never take it for granted. I just wouldn’t want to be at any other place."
USF will have 15 spring practices, including the April 14 spring game, which will be held on campus at Corbett Soccer Stadium.
