DCC: Jim Leavitt

Submitted by ertai on
  • 1996-2010: USF head coach, where he went from program creation, to the FCS to FBS transition, to being ranked as high as #2 in 2007. He was eventually fired in 2010 for a locker room altercation.
     
  • 2011-2014: Coached linebackers under Harbaugh for the 49ers
     
  • 2015: First-year Colorado DC, bringing their scoring defense perenially ranked #11 or #12 in the PAC12 to #6. Total scoring defense went from #116 to #70. FEI total defense went from #102 to #73.

    http://www.denverpost.com/colleges/ci_29184897/cu-football-buffs-buy-le…

Tater

December 2nd, 2015 at 7:28 PM ^

I lived in the Tampa Bay area when Leavitt was fired and follwed USF as my "second home team."  The charges were false and were contradicted by an off-duty Florida State Trooper who was providing security at the time of the alleged "incident."  

The real reason he was fired was because Donna Shalala wannabe Judy Genshaft didn't think Leavitt could take the team to the "next level."  Moving up to D-1 and being ranked #2 for a few weeks wasn't good enough for what she thought the team should be able to accomplish.  

Since she was too cheap to pay the buyout and didn't want to look stupid if the coaching change backfired, she found an excuse to fire Leavitt.  He would be an asset to the staff and may be able to figure out how to kick ass against the spread when teams like OSU play it.

I would be really excited if Harbaugh hired Leavitt.  USF would be really excited to be close to the level where Leavitt had them.

bluestaffah

December 3rd, 2015 at 10:08 AM ^

Of course only those present know the truth but as I recall, it seemed a witch hunt once word got out. Miller did change his story and a close friend of his wrote an article about it earlier this year in a small time blog/paper where Miller tells his story.

http://www.ntneighborhoodnews.com/an-exclusive-interview-with-player-st…

He claims he changed his tune because he was told to tell a certain story by Leavitt in the first place. I'm not sure if he is grinding his axe because he was the Monica Lewinski of the situation, meaning everyone looks poorly at him or what? Apparently everyone wanted to fight him after the incident.

Leavitt was paid a "buyout" because a judge ruled that he was improperly terminated. Tell me how that can be if the incident happened as Miller said so. Therefore, the facts are somewhat cloudy but I believe, true or not ( I think not ) that Leavitt is a good coach and we would be lucky to have him.

Wolverine Devotee

December 2nd, 2015 at 6:56 PM ^

LOL I'd like to hear more about that locker room altercation. 

He's a very good choice. Knows how to defend hyper spreads unlike someone else.

Stu Daco

December 2nd, 2015 at 7:00 PM ^

I would like him more without his history of striking a player, interfering with the investigation, and subsequently ruining the career of said player.

Stu Daco

December 2nd, 2015 at 7:13 PM ^

Right, trumped up garbage.  That's why multiple witnesses confirmed the player's account, why Leavitt tried to cover up the issue by encouraging players and coaches to lie to investigators, and why he was ultimately fired despite taking USF to a #2 ranking.  Come on.

Stu Daco

December 2nd, 2015 at 7:29 PM ^

I like how you subtly threw in the word "disgruntled" without providing any evidence whatsoever, as if USF players would accuse their own coach of battery, convince other members of the team to support them, and then hope that Leavitt would implicate himself by covering up something he didn't do.  Sherlock Holmes step aside. 

Michigan_Mike

December 2nd, 2015 at 10:00 PM ^

Yeah because the school paid him off $2.75 million for no reason, right? Had this actually been as severe as reported they would have never settled with him because they would have had clear cause to fire him.



The fact is the overwhelming majority of his players still vouch for him to this day and many of them have come out and said the charges were blown way out of proportion. The only two direct player quotes I could find were from Miller, who by the way changed his story multiple times, and from a depth player who was no longer with the team having been given a firm handshake after a season ending injury during his senior year. Even the kids own father said the following "I stand behind the university and Coach Leavitt 100 percent," Paul Miller told the St. Pete Times. "I truly believe there was no malicious intent to hit anyone. He grabbed his shoulder pad, but it was like a motivational thing. After talking with Joel, he was satisfied there was not a slap, not at all."



Navarro Bowman spoke very highly of his character as well, 

"I love Jim Leavitt. He reminds me of my high school coach in a way. He never lets you have a day off. Even if you aren’t feeling good, he finds a way to make you smile…What he didn’t know was that I was a fan of him, too. He was at USF, and he brought that team up from nothing. I was up at Penn State for my visit when they played USF, and I always wondered who that coach (of theirs) was. You’d see him on the sideline and he’s so enthusiastic during the game, and that’s the type of coach you want to play for."



Additionally an Oklahoma based blog while looking into his resume as a possible DC candidate during the last offseason interviewed a former USF player who they say "



I am not saying the guy is a saint, but all of the evidence points towards a trumped up case exacerbated by a fame hungry University President that wanted to bring in a bigger name (Skip Holtz). So just keep dragging his name in the mud when you don't know anything about the circumstances. While if you notice all of the posters who were in the Tampa area at the time and actually followed the story stand behind Jim Leavitt because they know just how good of a guy he was. I would also like to re-iterate that Jim Harbaugh trusted him enough to have him coaching perhaps the single best unit on his NFL team just one year after this happened. If you doubt me vouching for his character, do you also doubt Jim Harbaugh?



Sources:



http://archive.wtsp.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=121975

http://ninerfans.com/new/why-49ers-lb-coach-jim-leavitt-is-an-inspirati…

https://thefootballbrainiacs.com/ou-oklahoma-sooners-football-bob-stoop…

TheGhostofFerbert

December 3rd, 2015 at 12:54 AM ^

So your evidence in support of Leavitt's character is a $2.75 million-dollar settlement with the Univeristy to resolve the wrongdong, a quote from am NFL player who wasn't remotely involved in the incident, an "Oklahoma-based blog," and the supposed desire of the University to replace a fantastic coach with a guy who had gone 38-27 at East Carolina.  There's no way you actually believe what you're typing.

Stu Daco

December 3rd, 2015 at 1:04 AM ^

Why would USF deliberately exaggerate the claims in an effort to a fire a coach who had made them nationally relevant as an upstart program?  You really think they had a diabolical plan to bring in a mediocre coach from ECU?  The only thing you've presented to contradict the University investigation are "sources" who had no firsthand knowledge of the incident and/or had an strong incentive to overlook the incident.  What a pathetic dismissal of wrongdoing. 

Michigan_Mike

December 3rd, 2015 at 9:15 AM ^

That is like asking why Dave Brandon did any of the stupid things he did while running our AD. Judy Genshaft the President of USF wanted someone with national "name recognition" running the program and felt Jim Leavitt was holding the program back from competing with FSU, Florida and Miami.



You have no clue what you are talking about, but sure just keep plugging away champ.

CoachBP6

December 2nd, 2015 at 7:01 PM ^

I think JH knew Durkin would be a HC sooner or later and thus has a handful of guys he will speak with.

Can't wait to see who I just hope it's not Mattison unless that's who Jim endorsement.




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CoachBP6

December 2nd, 2015 at 7:21 PM ^

Yeah I personally can't stand his defenses they are so soft and play so far off the WR's. However if Harbaugh felt he was the best for the current personnel I would trust Harbaugh.

I obviously think Harbaugh will go another direction bc he demoted him last year and for obvious reasons. Gotta think Harbaugh will look outside the program for Durkin's replacement.




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big10football

December 2nd, 2015 at 7:09 PM ^

I would be a fan.  However, not sure it is going to happen because of the locker room incident. I lived in Tampa at the time, and from what i remember he allegedly put his hands around a players throat during halftime of a game.  There were a lot of conflicting stories about what actually happened.

He is a guy that could definitely match Harbaugh's intensity.  He used to run sprints on the field before every game.  He did an incredible job with the USF defence; sent a lot of guys to the NFL.   

Blarvey

December 2nd, 2015 at 7:16 PM ^

Definitely one of the more realistic and qualified candidates. Only issue is I imagine he also wants to be a head coach again. OTOH, being a LB coach is huge given the depth.

Whoever is hired will have a really deep roster, so I hope the depth chart attracts some of the top candidates. Only issue is so many other big schools are building staffs right now.

thumpinman

December 2nd, 2015 at 11:33 PM ^

I tucked a player the same way my coach did. Grabbed me by the face ask and drug me around the field. Held at me. Threatened me. It's part of the game.



The president at USF saw a chance to get Skip Holtz and thought they name would bring prestige and money. That's all that crap was. She's a very smart president but she surrounds herself with some serious idiots! She doesn't get the best advice.



He's a great coach. He'd make a great member of the coaching team.

BlueMk1690

December 2nd, 2015 at 8:01 PM ^

he's a realistic candidate because of what happened at USF. But at the same time, there's nothing wrong with him getting a second chance and being employed in college football.