At the start of term in August 1972, USF was without a Director of Bands. Dr. Virginia Bridges who was the Department Chair in the College of Education was approached about reassigning Dr. Jim Croft to the open band position. Bridges, who knew the new music education faculty member had extensive band experience, discussed this with Croft. He agreed to do double duty (fulfilling his music education commitments as well as the Director of Bands) until they were able to find a worthy candidate. After one year and many musical successes, Dr. Croft was appointed Director of Bands in 1973.

By the end of Croft’s first year as DOB the band program was beginning to see a bright future ahead. In the summer of ‘74 USF again hosted the FBA Summer Convention. This is where Croft would first meet John Carmichael, and USF would hire Robert “Bob” McCormick as the percussion professor, a position he would hold until the end of Spring 2020.

1974 and ‘75 saw many successes for the band program. Donald “Don” Kneeburg, Professor of Trombone was appointed Associate Director of Bands and assigned the Wind Ensemble 2. Wind Ensemble 2 focused on performing standard works for band while Wind Ensemble 1 focused on masterworks and new/modern music. Wind Ensemble 1 performed at the 1974 Florida Music Educators Association Annual Conference, and the 1975 Music Educators National Conference (MENC) Southern Division conference, in New Orleans. Croft continued to tour with Wind Ensemble 1 to local area high schools and junior colleges. 

In the fall of ‘76, Croft was promoted to Acting Chairperson for the Department of Art and Music Education; after 1 year he would officially be appointed the position. This gave him the ability to hire/fire/and adjust teacher assignments. On June 13th, 1977 Croft was granted tenure by the USF Board of Regents. 1977 brought one of the biggest names in band to USF. Donald Hunsberger, conductor of the Eastman Wind Ensemble came to USF as the guest clinician for the FBA Summer Convention. He would conduct Wind Ensemble 1 at this event, and later Festival of Winds as the honor band guest conductor. 

By the late 70’s, the USF band program had grown in size and quality. Wind Ensemble 1 would perform at the Music Educators National Conference (MENC) in Atlanta and put out a record called Music for Cello and Wind Orchestra. The band program now consisted of Wind Ensemble 1 (top group), Chamber Winds (subgroup of the WE1), Silver Cornet Band (a group dedicated to the heritage of the band that performed popular melodies and potpourri style concerts. This group was 32 members of WE1), Wind Ensemble 2, Laboratory Band (for music education students), and a small Lab Band during the wind techniques classes.

In the summer of ‘79, he achieved his last big recruitment goal; Summer Music Camps at USF. Florida Summer Music Camp (FSMC), a summer program for junior and senior high school students run by William and Carolyn Clark, was searching for a new band conductor. They approached Croft who declined as he was working on starting a similar camp at USF. FSMC began to look elsewhere for a conductor when they lost their contract at Webber College. Now needing a place to host and a conductor, USF and Croft fit right into the mix. The Clarks again contacted Croft and he accepted. At USF, FSMC began to use USF professors as instructors, and a teacher/conductor portion was added featuring a guest clinician.

While the band program flourished, other programs within the school of music struggled and a resentment for Croft and his authority in the department began. By 1979, he was actively searching for employment at other universities. After a denied sabbatical, he began taking interviews. In spring 1980, Croft was offered the Director of Bands position at the University of Southern Mississippi and Florida State University. Croft accepted the position at Florida State University and submitted his letter of resignation to USF on April 23rd, 1980. The letter was accepted on May 22nd, just after the end of the academic year.