TAMPA - USF’s quarterback job is still up for grabs, but the race has already been narrowed to two transfer arms.
Michael Van Buren Jr. and Luke Kromenhoek are the only real contenders left to open the 2026 season as the Bulls’ starter, and head coach Brian Hartline said both have kept the competition alive with strong spring work.
“Frankly, they’re pushing each other to do a really good job,” Hartline said. “The fact that they’ve both taken incredible steps keeps making it competition.”
That decision carries plenty of weight after Byrum Brown’s record-setting 2025 season, when he became the program’s first 3,000-yard passer and also piled up 1,000 yards on the ground. USF has not named a successor yet, and there’s no timetable for when it will. The Bulls open Sept. 5 at home against FIU, and the first week of spring practices gave a clearer picture of how the battle is taking shape.
Van Buren brings the most college experience of the two. The junior started his career at Mississippi State and finished his freshman year by starting the final eight games. In 10 appearances that season, he threw for 1,886 yards, 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions while adding five rushing scores.
He then moved to LSU for the 2025 season, where he appeared in seven games and started the final four. With the Tigers, Van Buren threw for 1,010 yards, eight touchdowns and two interceptions and ran for 129 yards and a score.
“Whatever the coaches want me to do, I feel like I can do it,” Van Buren said. “I feel like I’m very dynamic.”
At 6-foot and 195 pounds, he gives USF more juice as a runner and more danger when plays break down. Hartline likes that part of his game, but also sees the risk that comes with it.
“Mike is really smooth with his motion,” Hartline said. “He does a good job of creating when he gets out of the pocket. At times, he’s got to make sure he doesn’t put the ball in jeopardy.”
Kromenhoek, meanwhile, offers a different look. The redshirt sophomore spent his first season at Florida State, where he made Seminoles history by becoming the program’s only true freshman to throw three touchdowns in his first career start in 2024. He finished that season with 44 completions on 84 attempts for 502 yards, three touchdowns, two interceptions and 113 rushing yards.
After that, he transferred to Mississippi State and played in three games last season. He completed 5 of 9 passes for 73 yards and added eight carries for 25 yards.
At 6-4 and 220 pounds, Kromenhoek brings more size but less movement outside the pocket. Hartline said his biggest gains have come in how quickly he resets after mistakes, along with the quality of his throws.
“He makes a lot of throws really well, great ball placement,” Hartline said. “He’s strong mentally. One of the most improved over the summer … He’s gotten bigger, and there’s a lot of positives.”
Kromenhoek said he spent the offseason tightening up his footwork and mechanics while also putting in extra time in the weight room.
“Hats off to Coach AT (Antonio Turner) and the strength staff. They really pushed me this summer,” Kromenhoek said. “All my metrics have gone up, so I think it was a really big summer for me.”
Redshirt senior KJ Cooper and redshirt sophomore Jayden Bradford are also in the quarterback room, but both are expected to trail Van Buren and Kromenhoek because of their limited FBS experience.
Hartline said he will lean more on what the quarterbacks are doing now than what they did before arriving in Tampa.
“What they’ve done somewhere else is of note for sure. But if anything, it probably just helped them speed up their process to get to this point,” Hartline said.
“Both have been in the big lights. They’ve all been in big games, so frankly, I think it’s pretty square when it comes to that situation.”
He also pointed to how similar the two are in their approach, especially when it comes to detail and study. Hartline called it their “give-a-crap factor.”
The pair have grown close while competing, trading notes in the film room and bonding over the same obsession with scheme and strategy. Hartline said the relationship has stayed healthy.
“As far as studying the game and wanting to learn the game, they can’t get enough ball. They love ball,” Hartline said.
“When one makes a play, the other one celebrates. So there’s not this animosity or edge-seeking operation.
They really are teammates first, which is great.”
Offensive coordinator Tim Beck has also made it clear that USF could end up using more than one quarterback during the season. Both Van Buren and Kromenhoek said they understand that reality and are focused on helping the Bulls win, no matter how the job gets split.
“Everybody wants to be the guy. At the end of the day, it would be an honor,” Kromenhoek said. “However it shakes out, I just want to be able to put the team in the best position to win.”
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