USF's Josh Celiscar ends college career with Orlando return in Cure Bowl
NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...
TAMPA — Alex Golesh delivered the same message the second time around when Josh Celiscar re-entered the transfer portal last December.
Celiscar played four years at UCF, his first when Josh Heupel was in charge and Golesh served as the team's offensive coordinator. By the time the 2023 season ended, as Celiscar sought a fresh start, Golesh returned to the Sunshine State as South Florida's head coach.
Instead, Celiscar committed to Texas A&M the following April. He played just once, against lower-division McNeese State, and redshirted to preserve his final year of eligibility.
"He wanted me that year I left UCF, but I decided to go big, go SEC," Celiscar said. "That next year, he still came after me and said, 'I’ve been trying to get you since last year.' That conversation was more so that he still believes in me and that I could be that guy for the program."
Celiscar's college career comes full circle Wednesday, Dec. 17, when South Florida crosses I-4 to take part in the Cure Bowl against Old Dominion. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. at Camping World Stadium, though both teams will be without their starting quarterbacks.
Celiscar — a 6-foot-3, 292-pound defensive lineman from Winter Haven — asserted himself as a leader in offseason workouts, quickly seeking to form bonds with his new teammates.
"It never matters what goes on, good or bad, he’s always that person that’s going to come up to his position group or the defense and bring everybody together and (let us know) it’s time to refocus. He’s always had that voice since he’s got here," sophomore safety Fred Gaskin said.
"He’s just a guy that is easy to get along with, and you also know, by the way he talks and acts, that he’s about business, winning and all the right things."
On Aug. 10, Golesh introduced a new tradition for USF's football team, issuing the No. 63 jersey in honor of Tampa Bay Buccaneers legend and former director of athletics Lee Roy Selmon. Selmon's son, Lee Roy Selmon Jr., sought a recipient who "encompasses just how who he was."
He then asked, "Is Josh in the building somewhere?" Celiscar rose to his feet, gave Selmon Jr. a hug and accepted the honor.
"Josh has got a really, really cool energy about him," said Golesh, who has since taken the head coaching job at Auburn. "Josh wears his emotions on his sleeve, so you can see exactly where he is. You certainly have felt him in the games. You feel him at practice.
"He’s super, super emotional in the right way, and he plays the game the right way."
Leadership, Celiscar says, comes natural and rubbed off on him from his father, Sergot. He's one of eight kids, an athletic family that includes an FBS cornerbacks coach (older brother Donald), a Yale basketball player (younger brother Isaac) and a Florida high school shot put champion (younger sister Olivia).
Sergot's work ethic and drive to provide for his household always resonated with Celiscar, especially as he became the father to a baby girl last year while playing for Texas A&M. That played a major role in his return to the Sunshine State, along with a shot to contribute for an ascending team.
According to Pro Football Focus, Celiscar logged the most snaps (491) among South Florida's interior defensive linemen. He has 30 tackles on the year (10 solo) with three TFLs, two sacks and five quarterback hurries.
South Florida opened the season with consecutive wins against ranked opponents, Boise State and Florida. Seeking their first conference championship in program history, the Bulls controlled their own destiny into mid-November. Navy dealt the crushing blow with a 41-38 win in Annapolis, Maryland.
Still, South Florida has a chance to reach 10 wins for just the third time in school history — and to do so less than 20 miles down the road from its biggest rival, where a then-225-pound Celiscar began to grow and, more importantly, began to mature.
"It’s weird; when you don’t see somebody for three-and-half, four years and then you see this grown-up version that’s gone through adversity and that’s had to dig out of it, that’s had to find solutions to problems," Golesh said. "He’s the best version of himself, and I’m super, super pumped he’s here and proud of him and the growth he’s made. He’s, in a big way, the reason you coach."
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: USF Bulls football DL Josh Celiscar returns to Orlando for bowl game
More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos