USF Athletics

Original USF Team Member Everitt a True American Hero

October 26, 2017

Saturday is USF's Salute to Service game at Raymond James Stadium.
Leading up to USF-Houston, learn about Russell Everitt, a member of USF's inaugural team, who has spent his career flying helicopters and leading young men and women as a highly decorated member of the Navy.
 
 
By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer

TAMPA, OCT. 26, 2017 – Playing football at USF can help take Bulls anywhere they want to go with the leadership and life skills developed in Green and Gold.

For Russell Everitt, a member of USF's inaugural team, suiting up in a Bulls uniform helped shape him into a super important member of the military. The former offensive lineman earned his Wings of Gold in 2002 and has gone on to become an executive officer for the Navy's Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron Seven One.

"I don't think there would be anything else that I could personally think of that would be more satisfying," Everitt said. "I get to fly a $43 million piece of equipment a couple times a week and I get to do that defending our country. With that, I can go lead some of the best people that our country has to offer."

Everitt now has 300 people under his command purview, years after enhancing his leadership abilities at USF back in 1997. After transferring from The Citadel, Everitt practiced, dress and traveled with the Bulls during their very first season of football competition. A season later, Everitt played an important role as USF's sixth offensive lineman, stepping up at both center and guard, before graduating from USF in 1999.

Everitt likens a military unit to a football team, based on numbers and the discipline that's required to complete early morning workouts and two-a-days in the 100-degree weather.

"That definitely molds you to be successful in life, whether it would be military, business life, or for anything," he said. "The other big piece of that is relationships you build with people. I really think team sports and football in general at USF, the friends I've made, it definitely helps you getting into an environment with different types of people, different cultures."

After graduation, Everitt earned his master's degree in forensic science from the University of New Haven in 2000. Later that year, Everitt joined the Navy, completed officer candidate school in 2001 and trained to fly strike helicopters.

"I've always just had that call for service. I wasn't just going to join the military to do anything. Flying had definitely always intrigued me," he said. "Being a Naval aviator is something I wanted to do. I went, I talked to them and they picked me up."

Since becoming a pilot, Everitt has been deployed all over the world, including tours of duty during Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, along with the Global War on Terrorism Support Assignment in Baghdad. While in Iraq, Everitt also served in the Multi National Corps-Iraq Joint Operations Center, writing orders for Army, Marine and Navy units in the country. Between all those assignments, Everitt participated in counter narcotics operations in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.

With more than 3,500 flight hours of experience, Everitt also has spent years teaching and was named 2008 Instructor Pilot of the Year. Being an outstanding officer-in-charge helped Everitt earn numerous honors in 2014: HSM-75 Officer of the Year, COMHSMWINGPAC Maintenance Officer of the Year and the Navy and Marine Association Leadership Award. Learn more about Everitt's other distinguished honors in his bio HERE.

Everitt, 40, also has raised three children with his wife, Leigh, he married in 2002. Jamison, Gage and Maesan are sure proud of their father, who is now second in charge of a squadron. He's on track to become a commanding officer of a squadron in San Diego next fall and will be deployed sometime next year.

"When I was younger, all I wanted to do was fly. The more senior I get now, the flying part is still great," he said. "It's great to be able to do it on a beautiful day, but I like the leading part more now. I like to talk to people in my office, mentor and help guide their path in the Navy, and even in life."

Despite his busy schedule, Everitt makes sure to catch USF games and even has a couple pilots in his squadron from USF's Naval ROTC program.

"Some of our flying helicopter helmets have the Bulls horns on them," he said. "We're growing in the Navy overall."

Heading into Saturday's Salute to Service game, No. 17/14 USF (7-0, 4-0) is one of only eight unbeaten teams remaining in college football this season. Everitt said he's proud of the job head coach Charlie Strong and the Bulls have done years after his final snap with the program. 

"It's amazing. I love walking around here telling people I went to USF, that I'm a Bull, I played football there and I was on the first team," he said. "I didn't play that first year, but I feel I was a big part of that and helped build that."

On behalf of everyone at USF Athletics, thank you for your service, Russell. Bulls Nation supports you, everywhere you go. 
 
ABOUT USF FOOTBALL
USF finished the 2016 season ranked No. 19 in the Associated Press poll with a school-record 11 wins following the program's fifth-ever bowl victory in the Birmingham Bowl. The Bulls' 11-2 record marked the fifth-best winning percentage in FBS football in 2016 and one of just 11 teams to reach 11 wins. USF set nearly 40 team and individual records in 2016, including team records for total yards (6,650), rushing yards (3,714), touchdowns (77) and scoring (569). Junior quarterback Quinton Flowers was named the American Conference Offensive Player of the Year and led a school-record 10 players named to the all-conference team, six of which, including Flowers, will return in 2017. 

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