In an iconic photograph from Sept. 6, 1997, assistant coach Kevin Patrick is shown leading the USF football team out of the Tampa Stadium tunnel and sprinting onto the field for the program's inaugural game against Kentucky Wesleyan.
"Are you kidding?'' first-year USF head football coach Alex Golesh said when he was shown the image. "My gosh, it really is KP. I always assumed that was Jim Leavitt (inaugural head coach) in the front. How about that?''
Golesh put down the photo, then shook his head.
"In a way, it doesn't surprise me.''
Back then, Patrick was the fresh-faced, full-of-life, 26-year-old assistant who wasn't far removed from his days as an All-American defensive lineman with the Miami Hurricanes.