TAMPA — USF cornerbacks coach DeMarcus Van Dyke was familiar with the Bulls program before he drove into Tampa.
Van Dyke, a former defensive back at the University of Miami, was on the Hurricanes team that lost at home to USF in 2010.
Former USF quarterback B.J. Daniels works in the USF athletic department, where it's difficult for DeMarcus to go down memory lane.
"My senior season, they beat us at home," he recalled after Tuesday's spring practice. He smiled when mentioning having to work in the same building as his former nemesis. "B.J. Daniels, every time I see him, the hallway, I say, 'You got me on senior night.' That was tough right there, man. [haha]”
Van Dyke, a Miami native, spent last season as the cornerbacks coach at Florida International. He was offered the job at USF prior to 2023, but he said the timing wasn't right.
Then, DeMarcus said he had flashbacks when he was watching the Bulls 45-0 win at the Boca Raton Bowl. USF head coach Alex Golesh offered him the job again, and Van Dyke couldn't say no.
"When [USF head coach Alex Golesh] called me, there was no type of hesitation. I said, 'Let’s do it.'"
"D.V.D" spent six seasons in the NFL with the Raiders, Steelers, Chiefs, Vikings, and Falcons. After his playing days were over, there was little doubt that he would get into coaching. DeMarcus, 35, says he wants to give other young players the chance to carve their own path to pro football.
"My father went to prison when I was three years old, and he got out when I was 15. The guys that pretty much molded me into the man I am today were my little league coaches and my high school coaches," he explained. "Outside the home, just going to the park, seeing those guys become great fathers, great leaders, I pretty much mimic those guys. That’s why I got into coaching."
He's technically a coach, but Van Dyke wears his cleats to every practice.
"I do drills with them, and everything. I wanna show you guys how to do it. Like show and tell."
Plus, his 4.28 40-yard dash at the 2011 NFL Combine is the fifth-fastest of all time. So he wants to stay ready- if his players think he's lost a step.
"Just in case they want to try me," he joked. "[Aamaris Brown-Bunkley] always says 'Coach, man, let’s race.' They don’t wanna race me. They don’t want to be embarrassed by a 35-year-old guy."
USF senior defensive back Aamaris Brown-Bunkley didn't hesitate to answer the question of whether he could beat his position coach in a foot race.
"Definitely. Definitely. That ain’t now question [haha]!"
Brown-Bunkley is one of the leaders on the Bulls defense, and he says his coach drives him to get even better every day.
"We bump heads a lot, but it’s out of love and competitiveness. He’s gonna coach me hard," Brown-Bunkley explained. "He’s gonna make sure I’m where I need to be, what I need to do—everything. He just wants what’s best for me, so I commend him for that."
"I challenge him every day, and he responds to the challenge," Van Dyke added. "I love coaching that kid. He’s a fun guy. He loves the game, and I’m excited to see him out there this year."
This is Van Dyke's eighth year as an assistant coach. In addition to FIU, he also worked on the staff at ASA College and Miami (FL).
