Before Josh Celiscar ever learned to shed a block or chase down a quarterback, he learned what it meant to carry expectations.

In a house full of seven other siblings, there was no time to dawdle. His older brothers and sisters made it simple — succeed in school or on the field, because there weren’t other paths.

“I had examples in front of me,” Celiscar said at a press conference Tuesday. “I had no choice but to get to where I’m at now.”

The graduate defensive end transferred from Texas A&M last December, becoming one of 10 new transfers for USF this spring.

When his family first moved from Haiti, his father, Sergot, was incarcerated while trying to get his family to the United States.

“I don’t know the whole story,” he said. “I just know that he worked so hard, and that’s why I’m working so hard now to get to the league.”

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The 22-year-old is now entering his sixth year of eligibility after stints at UCF and Texas A&M.

For the Knights, he played four seasons and was a team captain, putting up 8 sacks and 5 forced fumbles, while under the guidance of a familiar face.

Bulls head coach Alex Golesh, who served as the co-offensive coordinator and tight ends coach for UCF in 2020, said the addition of Celiscar has been “a breath of fresh air.”

Golesh said he remembers when Celiscar was a freshman, and that he sees him as more mature as he joins USF’s trenches.

“The guy’s asked him to have him on the leadership council a month into him being here,” Golesh said. “It says a lot, from a leadership standpoint.”

Celiscar didn’t come to USF aiming to lead. But once he arrived, the coaching staff made it clear they needed someone with his experience to set the tone.

“Coach was like, ‘We need guys like you,’” he said. 

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That accountability has quickly become part of Celiscar’s identity in the locker room.

He’s not the loudest voice, but his presence carries weight — especially among younger teammates still figuring out what it takes.

“Whenever we’re not meeting the standard, a lot of guys talk about getting to the Final Four and making it to that big stage,” he said. “It’s like, Okay, I gotta kind of uphold y’all to that standard, because it’s like, I know what it takes.”

On the field, Celiscar’s 6-foot-3, 290-pound frame has given USF flexibility. 

He said he’s practiced at multiple positions this spring, taking on more interior reps to complement the Bulls’ lighter edge players.

But that versatility isn’t just physical, it’s emotional and mental – the kind forged through life experience and responsibility.

Celiscar isn’t just rotating through positions on the defensive line. 

He’s balancing fatherhood, marriage and school — all while helping lead a locker room full of players still learning what it takes.

Celiscar’s wife, Sage-Lynae, gave birth to their 11-month-old daughter, Nyellie, last summer.

“To me, it’s not really that hard, whenever you have a good partner, especially with my wife,” he said about balancing his life.

The couple has been together since his freshman year of college — and now Celiscar says life is centered around family and being home.

After appearing in only one game last season, Celiscar came to realize what mattered most in his final year – stability and a place where he could feel grounded again.

Golesh said Celiscar wanted to “come closer to home” after his stretch with the Aggies.

Home for Celiscar is just over an hour away from USF’s Tampa campus, in Winter Haven, Florida.

While others are chasing one last chance to shine, Celiscar said he’s building something that lasts.

“I just want to be around my baby and I want to be around my wife whenever I can,” he said. “I love my life right now. I’m really appreciative.”