Link: Is South Florida's Leavitt out of control?

[CapstoneGrad06]

This was posted on the "Truth and Rumors" section of SI.com, but the basis of Leavitt's action are not up for argument. The guy has to have a few lose screws to act this way towards assistants. With two weeks until spring ball, he still hasn't filled his coaching staff vacancies, and I wonder why?

Someone should tell University of South Florida head coach Jim Leavitt that spring football begins in less than two weeks. At some point -- and very soon -- he's going to need to find a defensive coordinator. Leavitt has been trying, without success, to fill the vacancy left by Wally Burnham, who left for the same position at Iowa State two weeks ago. But do you blame Burnham, or other assistants, for bolting from "General" Jim Leavitt's dungeon? Offensive coordinator Greg Gregory and defensive backs coach Troy Douglas have also gone elsewhere, taking the same roles at South Alabama and North Carolina, respectively. That's what happens when a head coach gets out of control. Imagine this: You're an assistant at a decent program like USF, but you get a look from a national power and interview for the job. The next day, you get demoted. That's what Leavitt did to Gregory. Just a couple days after Gregory interviewed for the tight ends job at Florida, Leavitt sent out a statement saying he had been demoted. He claimed he didn't want his assistants sniffing around for jobs at other schools.

[URL]http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/view/93171-is-usfs-leavitt-out-of-control?eref=fromSI[/URL]

 

[VolFan1]

Wow! What kind of coach would not want his assistants to better themselves? Crazy if you ask me.

 

[derek4tide]

 

[TommyMac]

That guy has just never seemed quite right to me. I guess you have to give him credit for making them a viable program so fast, but I just can't see them ever being all that under him.

 

[chris]

To think we tried to hire this guy........Geeeesshhhh!:eek2:

 

[IH8Orange]

To think we tried to hire this guy........Geeeesshhhh!:eek2:

It's a bit hazy due to passage of time, but I believe that our attempt to hire him was more in his mind than in reality. I don't think there was ever an offer extended. It was in his interest, however, to make his AD believe that Bama was trying to hire him. He did get a raise out of the episode, I believe.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

We actually did almost hire him. The AD was really taken with the rebuilding effort he'd accomplished down there. Then, his personal life came into question and some factors turned up which indicated that he wouldn't be the best representative of UA (not to say we haven't had some others). After he was told he was eliminated, he held a Harris-like press conference to announce that he'd turned us down. I'd say we dodged a bullet...

 

[Bamaball2001]

We actually did almost hire him... After he was told he was eliminated, he held a Harris-like press conference to announce that he'd turned us down. I'd say we dodged a bullet...

Thank goodness, we sure didn't need to take anymore bullets back then. It is just amazing that recruits would consider coming to a school that has so many coaching vacancies this close to spring ball.

:BigA: RTR!

 

[UAME]

I seem to remember USF's female AD yelling something at the presser like, "Eat your heart out, Alabama!"

 

[BamaBeta]

Some of the greatest gifts are unanswered prayers. Not that I am a religious person, but having him stay at USF might have done a different type of damage than we could have ever imagined.

 

[RT1941]

Some of the greatest gifts are unanswered prayers. Not that I am a religious person, but having him stay at USF might have done a different type of damage than we could have ever imagined.

Amen, and amen! IMO, Leavitt & Rich Rod are 2 guys I am thankful never came to the Capstone.:BigA:

 

[dennychimes76]

I seem to remember USF's female AD yelling something at the presser like, "Eat your heart out, Alabama!"

She was the PRESIDENT of USF....and a fine example of professionalism. I'm just happy they kept him :BigA:

 

[bamanut_aj]

some coaches are great fits where they are, or would be at similar schools. Leavitt is one of those coaches. I think Leavitt would be overwhelmed at a significant school; similar to Bobby Johnson, Greg Schiano, etc.

 

[derek4tide]

I seem to remember USF's female AD yelling something at the presser like, "Eat your heart out, Alabama!"

Yep, you are correct. Here's a excerpt from the St. Petersburg Times
published December 13, 2002:

Leavitt halted a whirlwind courtship with the storied Crimson Tide on Thursday morning by agreeing to a new five-year, $2.835-million contract with USF that will more than double his annual salary.

"Alabama, eat your heart out!" USF president Judy Genshaft said to the gathering of about 125 at the Gibbons Alumni Center. "We go after talent, and Jim Leavitt is talent."

Leavitt, 46, the only coach in USF history, made $140,000 in base pay and about $200,000 total compensation this season. He will make $407,173 in base pay in 2003, plus a $25,000 annuity and $40,000 for TV/radio work.

While Alabama might have paid Leavitt in excess of $1-million annually -- Leavitt said he was never offered the position, which reportedly was offered to Saints assistant Mike Riley, who was still mulling it over on Thursday -- the salary bump puts him in line with the Conference USA average of $450,000-$500,000. USF joins C-USA next year.

The situation reached a critical juncture Tuesday when Leavitt met with Alabama athletic director Mal Moore and vaulted to the top of the Tide's wish list along with Riley, an Alabama graduate.

Leavitt, Genshaft and Selmon met for several hours Wednesday to discuss a contract renegotiation, and they continued by telephone into the night. At about 10 p.m. Wednesday, amid media reports from Alabama that Leavitt remained a top contender for the Tide position, USF announced Thursday's news conference.

"Coach Leavitt deserves the best. He's shown everybody around the nation he's up and coming," USF receiver Chris Iskra said. "He always tells us he's staying here and building a powerful program, and he keeps proving it.

"He's a great coach. Everybody respects him and all he does is win. He pushes us hard and we play to win."

 

[ghickok234]

Eat your heart out USF, Alabama goes after talent and we got it!

 

[TDBama78]

and to think some believe nick saban is hard to work for. this is what hard to work for really looks like, jim lea-vitt

 

[CrimsonMask]

Oh well......looks like things have worked out pretty well for us thus far. It just took us a while.
Good luck with the continuation of that Leavitt thing you got going on at USF too. I am sure you will get a chance to be number 2 again in about 10 years or so.

Meanwhile, I am pretty comfortable with our "talent" in the coaching department. But no, seriously, enjoy mediocrity in that awesome conference you got _eyes:.

 

[CapstoneGrad06]

I've always wonderd why Kansas State never considered him more. He was a long time DC under Bill Snyder, and when Ron Prince was hired a couple years back, Leavitt's name never was really passed around. I guess his problems preceed him back in Manhatten. Of course KSU has their own problems try reignite the Bill Snyder era.

 

[Bama323]

I could have never supported Jim Leavitt if he had been hired to be our coach. Anyone who can't take the time to tame their hair with a little gel or something is just not suited to run a program as big as Alabama. The guy looks like a wet stray dog on the sideline.

I also remember how he acted in 2003 when they came up to play us at Legion Field. Leavitt was out almost to midfield hollering at the officials like an idiot. I thought to myself at that time, thank god we didn't get that guy...

 

[CrimsonSEC]

I don't know about out of control in this particular situation. It sounds like he's definitely a bit overboard about loyalty.

But, he is the most out of control coach on the sidelines I've ever seen. The guy's a regular freak show.