By Joey Johnston
Senior Night is usually a confluence of emotions — a time for family, a time for reflection and a time for gratitude.
So, who knows what to expect during the on-field ceremony moments before the USF Bulls (8-3, 5-2 American Conference) play host to the Rice Owls (5-6, 2-5) at Raymond James Stadium (7 PM, Saturday, ESPN+)?
Thirty USF players (and their families) will be honored, including some familiar veteran names, such as linebackers Mac Harris and Jhalyn Shuler, longtime defensive stalwarts and this season’s two leading tacklers.
Harris said one thing is certain.
“I’m looking forward to seeing who’s going to cry,’’ Harris said. “I’m not gonna do it. So don’t be looking at me, waiting on me to cry. It ain’t happening. I’m not gonna cry.’’
Defensive coordinator Todd Orlando said he might shed a few tears.
“Senior Night is such a crazy emotional experience,’’ Orlando said. “When I see Mac and Shu (Shuler) walking out, man, that’s gonna dig into me. I’ll be thinking about all we’ve been through, all the times we’ve butted heads, all the growth both of them have shown. Eventually, they say, ‘OK, let me try it your way.’ Then everything turns.
“It’s like watching your child grow up and graduate or get married. Parts of the Senior Night are definitely tough for me. The cool part of coaching is we’ll stay in touch and still do stuff together. But when the on-field playing part ends, when you consider all that you’ve done together, it’s gut-wrenching and beautiful at the same time. Because you’ve been through so much.’’
Few things compare to the turnaround experienced by many of the USF seniors — from the 1-11 nightmare of 2022 to potentially getting a 10-victory season and a third straight bowl-game triumph.
When head coach Alex Golesh walked in as the program’s new leader, many holdover Bulls were intent on walking out.
Golesh said he’s indebted to the ones who stayed. Every Friday night, as the Bulls wind down preparations for a Saturday game, Golesh said he expresses gratitude to the program’s veterans. He called it “my favorite 15 to 20 minutes of the week.’’
“When I got here, it wasn’t cool to stay (at USF),’’ Golesh said. “Like, if you can get out, you were getting out. And there were a handful of guys who said, ‘You know, we believe in the message.’ Or maybe, ‘We just like going to school here.’
“But as time went out and those guys developed into really good players, the choosing-to-stay decision spoke to our culture. It means they bought into something bigger than themselves. They bought into giving more of themselves than they ever took from the program. They now believe in the process-driven way of living and they’ve bought into the process-driven way of working. More than anything, they feel a sense of pride with what they’re leaving behind in terms of the standard that has been raised.’’
For Harris, who will be playing in his 58th USF game (tying the all-time record of former running back Kelley Joiner Jr.), it all revolves around relationships.
“I’ve got a lot of guys on this team who I adore, and I’ll be sad to leave them,’’ Harris said. “This has all gone by so fast, fast, fast. It’s insane. I always encourage the younger guys, ‘Bro, just live in the moment. Don’t take anything for granted.’
“With all the changes in college football, I’m glad I stayed in one place for my whole career. It’s funny, but I’ve been wearing some form of green and gold since I started playing football at age five. I bleed it to the core. I can’t wait to come back and watch these boys. I’m super jealous of the stadium they’re building. But when I come back, I’m gonna know that I helped lay down some of those bricks and I have a place that I can truly call my alma mater.’’
Center Mike Lofton, who transferred to USF in 2022 and led the nation in snaps (1,050) when he started all 13 games in 2023, has assumed more of a backup role this season. But through the ups and downs, he has remained grateful for his USF experience.
“You always stay where your feet are and just roll with the punches,’’ Lofton said. “I probably could shed a few tears as my time comes to an end, but I don’t think I will because USF has been so good to me.
“At times, it was a long road to walk for a lot of us. I’m so grateful to the guys (from 2022) like Dono (Donovan Jennings), Meech (Demetris Harris) and Brad Cecil, the offensive linemen who helped to bring me along. But the adversity just makes you appreciate the relationships and connections even more. It does go by very quick, but I believe we’ve all helped to set the foundation for some amazing things that will happen here in the future.’’
Cole Best, who took over as the starting center last season while maintaining a strong friendship with Lofton, said he’s anticipating many positive emotions on Saturday night.
“Collectively as a team, everyone is looking forward to emptying the clip, pouring it all out and giving everything they have for the seniors so they can be sent out the right way,’’ Best said. “This is a great group of guys and we’ve accomplished so much this season. I think our guys will bring the energy and bring the juice. We’re going to finish this thing the right way.’’
2025 Senior Night Honorees
(Note: several have eligibility remaining and have the option to return)
Amer Amer, Linebacker
Cole Best, Offensive Lineman
Derek Bowman, Offensive Lineman
Byrum Brown, Quarterback
Chavez Brown, Linebacker
Josh Celiscar, Defensive Lineman
Cameron, Cobb, Wide Receiver
Garrett Cates, Long Snapper
Sam Franklin, Running Back
Dennard Flowers, Defensive End
D.J. Harris, B-Backer
Mac Harris, Linebacker
Zane Herring, Offensive Lineman
Christian Helms, Wide Receiver
Devin Lee, Defensive Lineman
Mike Lofton, Offensive Lineman
Connor McLaughlin, Offensive Lineman
Jacob Merrifield, Defensive Lineman
Treavon Mitchell, Defensive Lineman
Cartevious Norton, Running Back
Cade Roberts, Wide Receiver
De’Shawn Rucker, Cornerback
Thomas Shrader, Offensive Lineman
Jhalyn Shuler, Linebacker
Boogsie Silvera, Safety
Jaelen Stokes, Safety
Tavin Ward, Safety
Ricardo Watson, B-Backer
Michael Williams, Defensive End
Jack Wilty, Offensive Lineman
Tickets:
Single-game tickets for the 2025 USF football season can be purchased by calling 1-800-GoBulls or visiting this LINK.
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ABOUT USF FOOTBALL
The USF football program first took the field in 1997 and completed its 28th season in 2024 with its second-straight bowl victory in the Hawai’i Bowl. Head coach Alex Golesh posted a program-best six-game turnaround and a Boca Raton Bowl victory in his first season in 2023. USF completed construction on a new $22 million Indoor Performance Facility in 2023 and a $340-million on-campus stadium and football operations center broke ground in the fall of 2024 and is slated for completion by 2027. The Bulls have posted 17 winning seasons, earned 16 All-America selections (including two consensus selections, the last coming in 2021), as well as 33 first-team all-conference honorees. USF has had 30 players selected in the NFL Draft and the Bulls have made 12 bowl game appearances (going 8-4), posting a program-record six straight appearances from 2005-2010 and making four straight bowl appearances from 2015-18. USF posted back-to-back 10-win seasons in 2016 and 2017, logging a program-record 11-2 mark in 2016, while finishing both seasons ranked in the Top 25. USF spent a program-record 20 straight weeks ranked in the Top 25 during the 2016 and 2017 campaigns and reached as high as No. 2 in the Associated Press rankings during the 2007 season.
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