By Dave Scheiber
Sean Atkins always believed in himself, fueled by an inner confidence that he could excel after high school beyond the gridirons of Division II football. Instead of taking that safer route, which would have guaranteed plenty of playing time, he dreamed of routes he could run as a Division I receiver for the USF Bulls.
It was a long shot -- the numbers are always heavily stacked against walk-ons at big Division I programs like USF鈥檚. But Atkins dreamed big and acted boldly.
鈥淚 felt like I could go bigger and better,鈥� said Atkins, whose 5-foot, 10-inch, 186-pound stature meant he would have to work extra hard to make a positive impression on the practice field.
USF saw something in Atkins, too, and gave him the opportunity to prove himself. But the rest was up to him.
鈥淓ven though I was going to be a walk-on, I felt like I had all the talents and skills to go out and prove myself,鈥� he recalled. 鈥淚t was kind of a culture shock for real, because coming out of high school I felt like I was the best player, and then coming here, it was like, wow, I was on the bottom of the barrel. Nobody really knew my name.鈥�
But they most certainly know it now. His achievements are even more noteworthy considering that Atkins had to work late hours at small convenience store in Tampa while still a walk-on, then wake up early the next morning to get ready for long days of practice and studies.
[Photo courtesy of USF Athletics]
鈥淚 would close probably around 11 or 12 some nights, and you鈥檝e got to get up at 6:30 bright and early every day for football,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t was a rough time. You know, working long hours, just trying to pay rent, working paycheck to paycheck to make sure I had a roof over my head and meals on the table. I wanted to prove everybody wrong, honestly, and just kept everyday trying to be the same person, compete and get better.鈥�
After two years of perseverance and earning the respect of his fellow players and the coaching staff, Atkins was awarded a full scholarship in front of the team. It was that defining moment that sling-shotted him to unprecedented success. In 2023, he became the first 1,000-yard receiver in program history (1,054) and now holds the records for most career receiving yards (2,167) and receptions (200) in USF football history.
He鈥檒l never forget the moment he was awarded his full scholarship. Teammates burst into applause and cheers, crowding around him to hug and congratulate him. And today, Atkins has more than repaid their belief in him 鈥� thanks to boldly believing in himself.