Coach candidates: Jim Leavitt

Career record: 79-47

Leavitt has been the only coach in USF history, coaching there since their program started in 1997. Despite the difficulties of starting a new team from scratch, he has had only 2 losing seasons (5-6 his first year, and 4-7 in his second year of CUSA play in 2004), and one 6-6 season. USF started in 1-AA and moved to 1-A in 2001.

He has never won more than 9 games and is 1-2 in Bowl games, his only bowl victory coming against ECU.

Leavitt played at Mizzou in the '70s, and his coaching background is on the defensive side, where he spent the early 90's coaching the Kansas State defense under Bill Snyder. There he helped make them into one of the best defensive teams in the country. Looking at the scoring defenses of his South Florida team here, it appears he continues the same defensive toughness at USF.

If you've never watched USF, its a 4-3 scheme with very skilled LB's just like Kansas State that tackle very well. LB and Corner blitzes happen quite a bit in KSU's scheme, but the DL talent at USF is letting them just drop them into coverage and rush with the front 4. His offense is more pro-style, but slightly pass-oriented to take advantage of the speed they have over other Big East teams.

Will he leave? Alabama (twice) and Kansas State and Miami tendered contracts to Leavitt, and he declined. Right now he's being paid $1.5million per year. I dont see Clemson offering more than Alabama offered him.

Recruiting? He gets the leftovers from Miami, FSU, and Florida, in a state where many of the leftovers are better than what South Carolina produces. His school has lax academic standards. However, he has motivated those leftovers to play well and looking at their records and considering they havent had a team for 15 years, you'd have to say he can recruit fairly well.