TAMPA, Fla. – R.J. Perry and his fellow offensive linemen enjoy a meal together every Thursday evening. The camaraderie typically takes place over a cookout or at Hooters, spending a few hours chatting about anything that comes to mind. According to Perry, sophomore Cole Skinner packs away the biggest dinner.
Perry will assume his left tackle spot next to four of his buddies for the last time at Raymond James Stadium when USF (5-5/3-3 American) hosts Tulsa (3-7/1-5) on Saturday afternoon (3:30/ESPN+). A senior day win would clinch bowl eligibility for the Bulls.
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“It’s a little sad,” said the fifth-year senior of his last game at RJS. “It feels like it has been forever, but it is only two years. It will be a good one come Saturday, last time at RayJay. I am going to have fun.”
Perry did not have as much fun last year, his first with the Bulls after transferring from Tennessee where Alex Golesh was the offensive coordinator for two seasons (2021-22) under Josh Heupel before taking over in Tampa. While Perry has had a nice relationship with Golesh and is a gifted athlete, change is never easy.
“It was a little hectic because I was new here, I didn’t know too many people,” said the Alabama native, who spent three seasons (2020-22) with the Volunteers. “I was still trying to get my feet wet, trying to learn new positions and trying to be that guy for the team when I should have just been that guy for my position.”
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With his attention perhaps not directed sufficiently toward becoming a better lineman, the results were not what they could have been.
“He did not have the year he wanted to a year ago,” said Golesh, who was at UCF in 2020 when he recruited Perry, then a defensive lineman at Fairfield Prep in metro Birmingham. “Now, he has had a phenomenal year. He’s always been really smart and really tough, but he is really confident right now and playing at a high level.”
Perry has been an anchor at his left tackle spot this season, starting nine of 10 games. A season ago he had at least one start at four different positions, all but center, while playing in nine of the Bulls’ 13 games.
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“It’s 100 percent mindset,” said Golesh, when asked about was has clicked for the 6-foot-6, 330-pound Perry. “He spent the entire offseason finetuning his skillset from a technical standpoint, taking ownership and being a leader. Talk about proud, that guy has grown up.”
For Perry, it truly has been a case of what a difference a year had made. He has a different perspective when it comes to the team, the university, his hometown.
“I learned a lot about myself,” he said of 2023. “This year, I got close with the guys on the team, interreacted more with the coaches, interacted more with the people in Tampa. That helped me overall. Coach Golesh will tell you that life is big difference for me now. Life is a big difference.”
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