Sizing Up USF's Quarterback Battle Before Camp Opens

Who Will Be USF’s Starting Quarterback?

That’s the question everyone will be asking as the Bulls return to the practice field for fall camp in August.

There will be an active competition for the starting job between LSU transfer Michael Van Buren and Mississippi State transfer Luke Kromenhoek.

It goes without saying how crucial the quarterback position is to a team’s success.

The Bulls brought in a plethora of talent during Brian Hartline’s first transfer cycle as USF head coach. However, all of the Power Four talent USF added will only go so far if the Bulls get poor quarterback play.

“The job description is to be a great leader, communicate well in the huddle, get us in and out of plays and make checks at the line of scrimmage and then, when asked to throw the football, throw it consistently on target and make the routine play routinely. And those guys can do that. What we’re waiting to see is who can do that the most consistently over time,” Hartline told the Bay Area Examiner at the 2026 American Kickoff.

So before USF fall camp begins in the coming weeks, let’s take a look at the two quarterbacks competing for the starting job.

Michael Van Buren

Van Buren comes to USF after spending his freshman season at Mississippi State and his sophomore season at LSU.

When Van Buren announced his commitment to USF, it was widely assumed he would be the front-runner for the starting job. While it’s still fair to say he has a slight edge in the competition, it isn’t by much.

Van Buren’s spring game wasn’t anything to write home about. The practices available to the media followed a similar trend.

Let’s start with the concerns.

His accuracy on a down-to-down basis was inconsistent during the spring game. Short- and intermediate-range accuracy were also areas that showed up on film during his time at Mississippi State and LSU. His career completion percentage through 17 collegiate games is 57.5%.

Decision-making is another area where, like most young quarterbacks, Van Buren has room to grow. While he didn’t throw an interception in the spring game, the Bulls’ offense struggled to string together completions with him under center. Part of that was because receivers struggled to create separation, but there were also opportunities where open receivers were missed. He has been sacked 37 times in 17 career games.

Both areas will need to improve if Van Buren is going to win the job, but the upside he brings to the offense is undeniable.

Van Buren is a true dual-threat quarterback. While he isn’t the same type of power runner that Byrum Brown was, his mobility is still a weapon. He showed multiple times during the spring game that he can maneuver the pocket and pick up first downs with his legs. At his previous stops, he also demonstrated the ability to throw accurately on the move, particularly when rolling to his right.

The best adjective to describe Van Buren as a runner is “slippery.” He’s not the fastest quarterback, and he’s not the biggest, but he consistently finds ways to evade defenders and turn broken plays into 10- to 15-yard gains.

Luke Kromenhoek

Like Van Buren, Kromenhoek arrived at USF as a former four-star recruit after spending time at two Power Four programs. He played his freshman season at Florida State before transferring to Mississippi State last year.

Kromenhoek brings nine games and 93 career pass attempts of experience to USF.

He has more of a traditional quarterback build. At 6-foot-4 and 208 pounds, Kromenhoek does most of his work from inside the pocket.

Based on expectations entering the spring, Kromenhoek had the more impressive camp.

He completed multiple downfield passes during the Bulls’ spring game, including several while under heavy pressure. Throughout the spring, he consistently looked like the more accurate passer.

The trait that stands out most when watching Kromenhoek’s film is his fearlessness throwing over the middle of the field. During his two starts late in his freshman season at Florida State, he repeatedly fit passes into tight windows between defenders. He displayed that same willingness during USF’s spring game.

If Kromenhoek wants to earn the starting job, he’ll have to become an elite executor of offensive coordinator Tim Beck’s system.

He doesn’t possess the same ability as Van Buren to create outside the pocket with his legs, even though he’s a capable runner. Once defenders break through into the backfield, the play is often over. He’s been sacked 27 times in nine collegiate games and was brought down multiple times during the spring game.

That’s why Kromenhoek’s execution is so important. If he can master reading defenses and consistently make the right decisions, his arm strength and accuracy can take him a long way. However, he has yet to do that consistently in games. He owns a career completion percentage of 52.7% with three touchdown passes and two interceptions in nine appearances.

Still, Kromenhoek’s strong spring and Van Buren’s uneven performance have turned this into a legitimate quarterback competition. As the Bulls return to practice, we’ll learn which quarterback has taken the biggest step toward earning the starting job.

Can Van Buren improve his accuracy and decision-making to complement his ability to create outside the pocket?

Can Kromenhoek become the true field general of Tim Beck’s offense by consistently delivering the ball on time and on target?

We’ll find out soon enough.