Fremont Native Influences USF Football
- A Fremont-born Ivy League transfer has become a key contributor reshaping the University of San Francisco football team. - Coaches cite the player's leadership and on-field impact as pivotal to recent team strategies and morale. - The profile highlights Fremont's athletic pipeline and could increase local recruiting and community interest (patch.com).
A Fremont-born running back who spent four seasons at Dartmouth has become one of the new faces of University of South Florida football this spring. (patch.com) D.J. Crowther joined the Bulls in January 2026 after 31 games at Dartmouth, where he totaled 1,312 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns. In 2025 alone, he ran for 929 yards and 10 scores, including a 197-yard game against Cornell. (gousfbulls.com) Crowther arrived as Brian Hartline took over as head coach on Dec. 3, 2025, following Alex Golesh’s move to Auburn. By early February, Hartline had added 41 transfers and 17 high school recruits to a roster with 58 new players. (usforacle.com, tampafp.com) Hartline said his staff used the portal to find “the right players” as much as the most talented ones. That approach came after USF lost 14 key contributors from last season to Auburn following the coaching change. (tampafp.com, usforacle.com) That made veteran transfers especially valuable this spring, because USF is rebuilding around a new staff, new quarterbacks and a heavily remade depth chart. The Bulls closed spring practice April 19 at Corbett Stadium, where 3,878 fans watched Hartline’s first spring game. (gousfbulls.com, gousfbulls.com) USF is also trying to carry that reset into a bigger campus buildout. The school’s football operations center and on-campus stadium project are scheduled for completion in fall 2027, giving the program a new recruiting pitch as Hartline reshapes the roster. (gousfbulls.com, gousfbulls.com) Crowther’s background stands out in that mix. USF lists him as a 5-foot-11, 215-pound redshirt senior from Sacramento, born in Fremont, who chose Dartmouth out of high school over offers from Army, Eastern Washington, New Mexico, Tennessee State, Idaho, Idaho State and Cal Poly. (gousfbulls.com) Before college, he was Sacramento Player of the Year as a junior at Christian Brothers High School, then added team and league Most Valuable Player honors as a senior. At Dartmouth, he developed from a four-game freshman contributor in 2022 into one of the Big Green’s top offensive options by 2025. (gousfbulls.com) USF opens its 2026 season on Sept. 5 against Florida International University. By then, Crowther will be part of a backfield and locker room Hartline has rebuilt almost from scratch in four months. (gousfbulls.com, gousfbulls.com)
