What you missed in USF Athletics over break

December was a busy time for USF Athletics.
From upset victories, injury news and good starts in conference play for men’s and women’s basketball, here’s a refresher on what you may have missed this past month at USF.
Byrum Brown’s broken leg
After months of vague answers, football head coach Alex Golesh confirmed quarterback Byrum Brown broke a bone in his leg
Golesh revealed the nature of the injury at a postgame press conference after the team’s win at the Hawaii Bowl.
Prior to this, Golesh had given very little details on the injury and often said Brown’s status was day-to-day.
Though Brown would often practice on the field before games, he saw very little playing time. At the Hawaii Bowl, Brown appeared in just two plays.
“He’s a young man that broke a bone in his leg and has fought like crazy to come back,” Golesh said at the press conference.
Second string quarterback Bryce Archie stepped in while Brown recovered. Archie’s performance led to some uproar from fans on social media, as some called for third string quarterback Israel “Izzy” Carter to take the lead.
Though Carter has entered the transfer portal, both Brown and Archie will stay at USF for the following season.
RELATED: USF QB Israel Carter enters transfer portal – The Oracle
USF women’s basketball win over No. 9 Duke

The USF women’s basketball team secured its biggest win of the season on Dec. 21 — defeating then-No. 9 Duke 65-56 at the Yuengling Center.
The win is the 22nd ranked victory in program history and the Bulls’ first ranked win in two years since beating No. 17 Arkansas in 2022.
The Bulls’ leading scorer — Sammie Puisis — put up 23 points in the win.
“We took high-percentage shots,” Fernandez said after the win. “We controlled tempo.”
The Bulls would then go on a six game winning streak before dropping games to North Texas and UAB.
“Every game is going to be tough in this league,” Fernandez said in his postgame after USF defeated Wichita State 72-46. “Especially on the road.”
Related: USF women’s basketball sinks Jacksonville – The Oracle.
A hot start for men’s basketball
Men’s basketball started 2-0 in AAC play for the first time since joining the conference in 2013.
The Bulls began conference play against ECU on Dec. 31 with a 75-69 win. USF then beat Wichita State 91-72 on Jan. 6 before dropping a game against Tulane.
Senior forward Jamille Reynolds dropped a career-high 22 points in the win over Wichita State. Reynolds added 10 rebounds for his fourth double-double.
Sophomore guard Jayden Reid put up 17 points, and junior guard Kobe Knox added 15 points in the win against Wichita State.
“It was on full display,” head coach Ben Fletcher said after the win. “And I’m so proud of those guys for that.”
Related: Reid’s career night powers USF men’s basketball to win over Stetson – The Oracle.
The Bulls record stands at 9-7 (2-1 AAC) entering a crucial month of conference action, including trips to East Carolina and Charlotte.