Jim Leavitt

Jim Leavitt is an American football coach known as the founding head coach of the South Florida Bulls football program, which he led from its inception in NCAA Division I-AA to national prominence in the Big East Conference. His aggressive defensive schemes, honed under mentors like Bill Snyder at Kansas State, became a hallmark of his teams. Leavitt has since served as a defensive coordinator for Power Five programs and in the National Football League, and is currently a defensive analyst for the SMU Mustangs.

Early life and education

Born in Harlingen, Texas, Leavitt was a multi-sport standout at Dodge City High School in Kansas. He accepted a football scholarship to play linebacker for the Missouri Tigers football team under coach Al Onofrio. As a player for the Missouri Tigers, he competed in the Big Eight Conference and earned a degree in education from the University of Missouri. His playing career and early immersion in the culture of NCAA Division I athletics provided a foundation for his future in coaching.

Coaching career

Leavitt began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, University of Missouri, before moving to Morningside College as defensive coordinator. His big break came when he joined Bill Snyder's staff at Kansas State Wildcats football, a program then considered one of the worst in NCAA Division I-A. From 1988 to 1994, Leavitt rose from outside linebackers coach to assistant head coach and defensive coordinator, helping engineer the legendary turnaround of the Kansas State Wildcats. After a season coaching linebackers for the Kansas City Chiefs under Marty Schottenheimer and a year at the University of Iowa, he was hired in 1996 to build the South Florida Bulls football program from scratch. He rapidly elevated the Bulls from NCAA Division I-AA to NCAA Division I-A, joining Conference USA in 2003 and the Big East Conference in 2005. His tenure at University of South Florida included a Conference USA championship in 2002, a win over Auburn in 2007 that propelled the team to a #2 national ranking, and appearances in the Meineke Car Care Bowl, Brut Sun Bowl, and International Bowl. After leaving South Florida in 2009, he served as linebackers coach for the San Francisco 49ers under Jim Harbaugh, helping the team reach Super Bowl XLVII. He returned to the college ranks as defensive coordinator at the University of Colorado under Mike MacIntyre, and later for the Oregon Ducks under Willie Taggart and Mario Cristobal. Subsequent stops included the same role at Florida Atlantic University under coach Willie Taggart before joining the staff at Southern Methodist University as a defensive analyst.

Head coaching record

As a college head coach exclusively at the University of South Florida, Leavitt compiled an overall record of 95–57 over 13 seasons. His teams achieved five winning seasons in Conference USA and four more in the Big East Conference, finishing ranked in the final AP Poll twice (2007, 2008). His postseason record was 3–2, with victories in the 2005 Meineke Car Care Bowl, 2006 Brut Sun Bowl, and 2008 MagicJack St. Petersburg Bowl. His .625 winning percentage established the foundation for the South Florida Bulls' subsequent success in the American Athletic Conference.

Personal life

Leavitt and his wife, Jody, have two children. He is known for his intense, passionate coaching style and deep loyalty to the programs and coaches he has worked with, particularly Bill Snyder. His career has been marked by a reputation as a defensive innovator and program builder, traits first demonstrated during the historic revival of Kansas State Wildcats football and fully realized with the creation of the South Florida Bulls football program.

Category:American football coaches Category:South Florida Bulls football coaches Category:Players of American football from Texas