USF's Byrum Brown announces he will enter the transfer portal

University of South Florida’s record-breaking quarterback Byrum Brown said Monday he has made the “difficult decision” to enter the transfer portal in search of a different school.

Brown made the announcement in a social media post in which he thanked USF’s coaches, teammates and fans, saying “USF will always be HOME, and I will forever carry the pride of being a Bull!”

The graduate senior, who has one year of eligibility left, led the Bulls to a 9-4 season after missing eight games the previous year with a broken leg.

He passed for 3,158 yards and 28 touchdowns and ran for 1,008 yards and nine touchdowns. That put him in an elite group by becoming only the 12th player in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision to pass for 3,000 yards and run for 1,000 in a season.

ALSO READ: Byrum Brown opts out of Cure Bowl but will 'coach' on sidelines

Brown’s move is not a surprise after head coach Alex Golesh left USF to accept the same role at Auburn University hours after the Bulls’ season finale, a 52-3 rout of Rice.

Three days after Golesh’s departure, USF hired Ohio State offensive coordinator Brian Hartline as head coach.

Brown took part in USF's commencement ceremonies, receiving his diploma in public health on Dec. 13 before opting out of the Bulls’ bowl game, a 24-10 loss to Old Dominion in the Cure Bowl last Wednesday.

However, he was on the sideline and assisted teammates and interim head coach Kevin Patrick in a coaching capacity.

Before the bowl, USF Athletics CEO Rob Higgins said Hartline and Brown were having “great conversations” about the athlete’s future at USF. Now, it appears he will be taking his talents elsewhere.

“These past few weeks have brought a lot of emotion and reflection for me and my family,” Brown wrote. “I’ve sought clarity in making the right decision for my future. I’ve had meaningful conversations with Rob Higgins and Coach Hartline, as I know they are building something special here, elevating this program in ways that will make every Bull proud. Because I truly believe in the direction USF is heading, this decision weighed heavily on me, and after much prayer and reflection, I ultimately made the difficult decision to enter the transfer portal.”

The portal opens for 15 days on Jan. 2, but many players announce their intentions earlier.

ALSO READ: New USF coach Hartline shares vision, says he's ready to connect with players and community

Although Brown could return to USF or consider applying for the NFL draft, in all likelihood he will move on to a Power 4 conference, where he might receive greater financial compensation and media exposure.

A strong possibility would be the Southeastern Conference and Auburn to rejoin Golesh, whose fast-break, no-huddle offense helped USF rank No. 2 in yards and scoring this season.

In a social media post Monday, Higgins said Brown "personally called yesterday afternoon to share the news that he has decided to enter the transfer portal when it opens in January to explore his options. I was blown away by his grace and professionalism in him not only calling, but also the meaningful way in which he delivered the message."

"Byrum has given so much to our school both on and off the field since he committed to us four and a half years ago and we will support him always. To say he has earned every opportunity that comes his way would be an understatement. In short, no matter where his decision making process takes him, we will be rooting for Byrum and he will forever be a USF Bull … weeks, months, years and decades from now!"

Most teams in Power 4 conferences hold recruiting advantages over Group of 6 teams like USF, a member of the American Conference. Their deeper donor bases, collectives and corporate partnerships allow them to offer more lucrative name, image and likeness (NIL) deals to attract and retrain top talent.

USF has committed to making a major financial commitment to sports in response to the changing landscape of college sports brought on by recent legal and regulatory changes.

The USF Board of Trustees recently approved an internal loan of up to $22.5 million to the school’s Athletics Department, following a vote this fall to increase revenue‑sharing payments with student-athletes by $16 million.

ALSO READ: Big 12 nears $500 million private capital deal with firm managed by USF trustee Weatherford

The loan, which will help with revenue sharing, will be funded through investment gains and not student fees. Board Chairman Will Weatherford has framed it as necessary for USF to adapt to the evolving economic model in college sports.

Most of the American Conference schools have agreed to provide athletes a minimum of $10 million across the next three academic years. USF officials said the school planned to "max out" to the $20.5 million annual limit allowed by the settlement.

USF’s investment in athletics — specifically football — is represented by the construction of a $407 million on-campus stadium and the recent hiring of Hartline from the staff of the Buckeyes, the defending national champions who are the No. 2 seed in the current College Football Playoff.