The Bulls have a new head coach in Brian Hartline, and he's already been busy putting his stamp on the program. Hartline, who previously served as Ohio State's wide receivers coach and offensive coordinator, is known for his recruiting ability. He wasted little time showing that at USF.
Hartline brought in the top transfer class in the AAC, giving the Bulls a fresh group of talent as they head into the season. The timing is worth watching, too, with some of the conference's top coaches leaving for new jobs this year. That leaves the race for the top spot wide open.
More sports: Baker Mayfield’s Season Could Get off to Rocky Start, NFL Analyst Says South Florida also has a favorable schedule, which could give Hartline and the Bulls a real shot at making a run at the conference title. FOX Sports has named USF a "dark horse" team for 2026, and one of the players who could help make that projection look smart is wide receiver Arhmad Branch. Hartline obviously put an emphasis on receivers when he went into the transfer portal.
Branch was his top-ranked addition at the position and was one of the first players to commit to USF when the portal opened. The Purdue transfer is coming off his second season with the Boilermakers, where he caught 14 passes for 212 yards and two touchdowns. Now, he gets a fresh start with the Bulls.
Sports news: Rams Could Be in for a Strong Start to the Season Hartline's history with pass catchers makes Branch an extra fun player to watch. If he can become USF's top target, there's a chance he could have a much bigger season. The schedule gives him plenty of chances to make an impact.
South Florida travels to Army in Week 2, hosts Memphis in Week 11 and closes the regular season against Tulane in Week 13. Those games could be important in the conference race. USF has a new coach, a strong transfer class and a wide-open path toward the top of the AAC.
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