<span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>South Florida's Leavitt looking like good fit for K-State</span>
Dennis Dodd Nov. 21, 2005
By Dennis Dodd
CBS SportsLine.com Senior Writer
South Florida coach Jim Leavitt has emerged as the favorite to replace retiring Kansas State coach Bill Snyder.
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Multiple sources have indicated the school is focusing on Leavitt, in part, because of his head coaching experience. Leavitt, 48, coached under Snyder for six years at Kansas State before starting the South Florida program in 1997.
The other top two candidates, Oklahoma co-defensive coordinator Brent Venables and TCU coach Gary Patterson, are known to be interested. Leavitt, though, has taken a low-key approach as his team chases the conference title in its first year in the Big East.
"Bill had a lot of influence, he and I are very close," Leavitt said Monday morning on the Big East coaches media conference call. "Bill is a great man. I was fortunate to coach on his staff. We pattern our programs very similar. Nobody can ever replace that guy."
Asked to speak specifically about the opening, Leavitt said: "We'll focus on Connecticut, that's what's important right now."
According to reports, Leavitt (61-36 at the school) is the fourth-lowest paid coach at a BCS-conference school ($542,000). His buyout is only $50,000. The current deal expires after the 2009 season. Snyder will have direct input in selecting the new coach and is said to want a replacement with ties to Kansas State.
Leavitt qualifies. The former Missouri defensive back coached under Snyder from 1990-95, rising to co-defensive coordinator before leaving for South Florida. He has taken South Florida from its infancy in the late 1990s to the Big East this year.
The Bulls (6-3) need to beat UConn to possibly a set up and all-or-nothing game against West Virginia on Dec. 3. If the Mountaineers defeat Pittsburgh on Thursday, South Florida and West Virginia would meet in Tampa with the winner going to a BCS bowl, most likely the Sugar.
Leavitt has said in the past Kansas State would be one of the few jobs he would consider taking. He has much invested in South Florida where, until a couple of years ago, the football staff was working in trailers. The school now has a new $14 million athletic complex.
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Quote:According to reports, Leavitt (61-36 at the school) is the fourth-lowest paid coach at a BCS-conference school ($542,000). His buyout is only $50,000. The current deal expires after the 2009 season. Snyder will have direct input in selecting the new coach and is said to want a replacement with ties to Kansas State.
Fourth lowest paid coach in a BCS Conference??????????? $50,000 buyout?????????
It looks like the South Florida administration has themselves to blame.
Leavitt has a better chance of winning at South Florida than at Kansas State. KSU does not have a natural recruiting base and has to rely primarily on juco's. Kansas State and South Florida are heading in the opposite directions. There is a huge upside to South Florida. Leavitt would be smart to use the Kansas State interest to get a pay raise. If Kansas State comes calling, hopefully the powers that be in South Florida will match KSU's offer.
Quote: WacoBearcat Posted on Nov 21 2005, 05:43 PM Leavitt has a better chance of winning at South Florida than at Kansas State. KSU does not have a natural recruiting base and has to rely primarily on juco's. Kansas State and South Florida are heading in the opposite directions. There is a huge upside to South Florida. Leavitt would be smart to use the Kansas State interest to get a pay raise. If Kansas State comes calling, hopefully the powers that be in South Florida will match KSU's offer.
Agree about Leavitt using the KSU offer to try and increase his salary with the Bulls, but I have a feeling that USF will not match the offer and he'll go to K-State.
Here's hoping I'm wrong.
Cheers,
Neil
I think he will get a pay increase for himself and his assistant out of this,the facts are that he will be able to recruit better and get into BCS bowls a lot easier at USF than KSt.
He will not put down KSt openly because he has great respect for Snyder but he started USF from scratch and he knows he can be Bobby Bowden or JoePa at USF.
If we were not in the BE then i would say he would go to KSt in a heart beat because he had stated many times that not being in a BCS conference meant you really could not compete for the NC.
Im not worried on this one i think youll see his contract redrawn to fit being in the BE.
He could have gone to Alabama, but he decided to stay then. However, coaching under Bill Snyder, and going to college his last two years at Missouri, you never know if he won't head back to the Big 12.
That said, I expect USF to give him a pay raise...we have the money, and I feel he has earned it. Time to pay the man :D
It should be noted he grew up in Florida....this is his home.
if he leaves for kstate, he better keep that resume handy. after 3 losing seasons he will be gone. that job is going to become the equivilent to tennessee in basketball. a coach killer.
aTxTIGER Wrote:if he leaves for kstate, he better keep that resume handy. after 3 losing seasons he will be gone. that job is going to become the equivilent to tennessee in basketball. a coach killer.
I would agree... K-State is on their way down, that much is clear. I have incredible respect for Jim Leavitt, and he may have emotional ties to K-State, but that would be a horrible job IMHO. The only thing helping K-State right now is the poor quality of the B-12 north. If they were in the South, they would be lucky to avoid last place.
K-State has been one of the worst programs in the US for nearly a century - until recently - for a reason. Most years, the powers are going to be Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, even Colorado and Texas A&M. K-State routinely is never going to be able to compete for the top of the league in the future.
USF, however, could become a power in the Big East. They could win it in their first season, and they have been doing incredibly well in recruiting. They need to work on their fan support, but that comes with time. They sky is the limit for USF, while K-State seems to have peaked.
But who knows. Sometimes emotional ties are more important, and he may have visions of keeping K-State at the level Bill Snyder had it several years back.
SPECoog518 Wrote:Quote:According to reports, Leavitt (61-36 at the school) is the fourth-lowest paid coach at a BCS-conference school ($542,000). His buyout is only $50,000. The current deal expires after the 2009 season. Snyder will have direct input in selecting the new coach and is said to want a replacement with ties to Kansas State.
Fourth lowest paid coach in a BCS Conference??????????? $50,000 buyout?????????
It looks like the South Florida administration has themselves to blame.
Actually, it was Leavitt's agent that fought for and got the "low" buyout fee. (His last contract negotiations took 10 months!).
Why? Exactly this...
His buy-out is SOOOOO LOW (not even 2 weeks pay at a mid-level BCS Program) that Leavitt's agent wanted as many OFFERS and exposure for his client as possible.
Leavitt has the 4th lowest salary in all of the BCS...he makes $200,000 less then UCF's George O'Leary (probably $300,000 less after all the bonuses are paid this year).
Leavitt wants to stay at USF...and he will use this interest (and others in the future..as long as he keeps fighting for a "low" buyout) to increase his salary at USF.
KL
KnightLight Wrote:SPECoog518 Wrote:Quote:According to reports, Leavitt (61-36 at the school) is the fourth-lowest paid coach at a BCS-conference school ($542,000). His buyout is only $50,000. The current deal expires after the 2009 season. Snyder will have direct input in selecting the new coach and is said to want a replacement with ties to Kansas State.
Fourth lowest paid coach in a BCS Conference??????????? $50,000 buyout?????????
It looks like the South Florida administration has themselves to blame.
Actually, it was Leavitt's agent that fought for and got the "low" buyout fee. (His last contract negotiations took 10 months!).
Why? Exactly this...
His buy-out is SOOOOO LOW (not even 2 weeks pay at a mid-level BCS Program) that Leavitt's agent wanted as many OFFERS and exposure for his client as possible.
Leavitt has the 4th lowest salary in all of the BCS...he makes $200,000 less then UCF's George O'Leary (probably $300,000 less after all the bonuses are paid this year).
Leavitt wants to stay at USF...and he will use this interest (and others in the future..as long as he keeps fighting for a "low" buyout) to increase his salary at USF.
KL
That pretty much nails it. Leavitt wants to stay here and will use whatever he can to grab more money along the way.
Supply and demand works in football, too. People are always saying its a business. When it comes to staffing, this is particularly true. Leavitt earned a raise.
The only thing that worries me is that USF can not match KSU. We can heand Leavitt a pretty big raise, but we just won't be able to pay that much yet. At least they don't have as much money as Alabama. Even so, USF is too young and its athletic budget too small to match KSU just yet. We're getting there. I hope Leavitt sees that, and more importantly that he truly wants to stay in Tampa.
I would stay at USF if I was him. How many coaches get a chance to REALLY build a program from scratch. To much potential to turn his back now especially with Meyer looking shaky and Bowden old as dirt.
I hope he stays at USF. It will take some time for USF and UC to catch up to the others in salries etc. . I would expect our coaches to make the least in the BCS. We are the newest two teams along with UL. We have never received the benefits that all the other teams have for decades.
This is about money. Kansas State spend over $33M in their overall budget (2004-2005), USF spend just $19.5M. Bill Snyder gets paid between $1.5M and $2M back in 2003. I don’t think Jim Leavitt has any problem bring Florida kids with him to Kansas State.
Providence has a lot of great coaches went through there but they couldn’t keep them any time they have any successes a larger program throw a lot of money at them and they done.
Unless USF willing to give Jim Leavitt at least $1.5M a market value for his service and a raise for some of assistances he will be gone. Welcome to big time, it is not cheap. You wonder why BCS boys want to keep all the money to themselves. It is very expensive to run big time programs.
SO#1 Wrote:This is about money. Kansas State spend over $33M in their overall budget (2004-2005), USF spend just $19.5M. Bill Snyder gets paid between $1.5M and $2M back in 2003. I don’t think Jim Leavitt has any problem bring Florida kids with him to Kansas State.
Providence has a lot of great coaches went through there but they couldn’t keep them any time they have any successes a larger program throw a lot of money at them and they done.
Unless USF willing to give Jim Leavitt at least $1.5M a market value for his service and a raise for some of assistances he will be gone. Welcome to big time, it is not cheap. You wonder why BCS boys want to keep all the money to themselves. It is very expensive to run big time programs.
IF Leavitt leaves the two coaches I would look at if I were USF are Paul Petrino at Louisville and Randy Shannon at Miami.
One of his assistants (Offensive Coordinator) is actually being looked at for the Buffalo job. Not sure how that is working so far.
I think we can give Leavitt a raise to what he deserves. Hopefully we'll work on that ASAP
BullsFanatic Wrote:One of his assistants (Offensive Coordinator) is actually being looked at for the Buffalo job. Not sure how that is working so far.
I think we can give Leavitt a raise to what he deserves. Hopefully we'll work on that ASAP
I hope so. Leavitt turning down K-State to stay at USF would be a huge boost to the BE.
Not Gonna Happen, Heres why:
USF Working On New Deal For Leavitt
By BRETT McMURPHY bmcmurphy@tampatrib.com
Published: Nov 22, 2005
TAMPA -- With University of South Florida coach Jim Leavitt emerging as the top candidate to replace Bill Snyder at Kansas State, USF athletic director Doug Woolard is doing his best to keep Leavitt at USF "for a long time."
Woolard is working on a new deal for Leavitt but wouldn't disclose the financial package or length of the contract.
"Jim's done an outstanding job," Woolard said. "We're trying to work on a scenario to have Jim here for a long time if he wants to be. He's started a legacy here, starting a program and taking it as far as he has.
"We want to put something together that is very advantageous for him."
Leavitt's current contract runs through 2009. His salary this season of $542,000 ranks as the fourth-lowest among the 66 BCS coaches, according to an athletic directors survey obtained by The Tampa Tribune. By comparison, Snyder made $1.5 million this past season.
Woolard had no timetable when he wanted to present Leavitt with the contract extension. USF visits Connecticut on Saturday and hosts No. 12 West Virginia on Dec. 3.
"I know how focused Jim is [on the upcoming games]," Woolard said. "I would rather get together sooner than later. I think it's in everyone's best interests."
Woolard said he had not been contacted by Kansas State officials for permission to speak with Leavitt. K-State athletic director Tim Weiser said Monday he has not contacted any candidates and would not comment whether Leavitt, or anyone else, was a candidate.
"We want to have someone as soon as possible, but our interest is in finding the right person," Weiser said. "If so, that could take a while. This is not about salvaging a recruiting class [by making a quick decision], it's about planting a tree that will be here a long time."
Weiser said the hiring is his responsibility, but he would take input from Snyder and Kansas State president Jon Wefald and others before making a decision.
Citing "multiple sources," CBSSportsline.com's Dennis Dodd, who is based out of Kansas City, Mo., reported Leavitt has emerged "as the favorite" to replace Snyder.
Leavitt would not comment Monday on his interest in the Kansas State position but talked fondly about Snyder, his former boss whom Leavitt worked for from 1990 to 1995 before coming to USF.
"Bill had a lot of influence, he and I are very close," Leavitt said. "Bill is a great man. I was fortunate to be able to coach on his staff. We pattern our programs pretty similar. Nobody can ever replace that guy. He's the real deal."
The Manhattan (Kan.) Mercury reported Kansas State offensive coordinator Del Miller and offensive line coach Dana Dimel will apply for the job. Oklahoma defensive coordinator Brent Venables and TCU coach Gary Patterson reportedly also are potential candidates.
"This is the nature of the business [for others to pursue Leavitt] and it's a credit to the program," Woolard said. "When people are successful, others will be interested. No one can question the amount of success he's had here."
Maybe now some of the KSU "insiders" will stay off of the boards. Back to the foothills of Manhattan. Glad to see that Woolard is willing to start to get things more in line for our coaching staff.
USF plans long-term offer to Leavitt
The school wants to retain its only football coach, a possible successor to his former boss.
By GREG AUMAN, Times Staff Writer
Published November 22, 2005
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TAMPA - With USF's football team two wins from a Big East championship, athletic director Doug Woolard said he's committed to offering coach Jim Leavitt a new contract as early as next month to keep him with the program he has built over the past decade.
"Absolutely," Woolard said Monday afternoon. "We're working on a scenario that will give him an opportunity to stay here for a long time. He's got a chance to build a legacy here like few if any coaches have in college football."
The Bulls face increasing pressure to keep the only football coach they've had. Leavitt, 48, has been widely reported as a leading candidate to replace his mentor, Bill Snyder, at Kansas State. Leavitt coached under Snyder for six seasons before coming to USF in 1995.
Leavitt is under contract with USF until 2009 and is about to finish the third year of a seven-year, $4.3-million contract signed in October 2003. He would make considerably more at Kansas State, where Snyder, who announced his retirement Nov. 15, was paid $1.5-million this season.
Woolard said Monday he had not been contacted by the Big 12 school about speaking with Leavitt, a standard courtesy in coaching searches. Leavitt's agent, Neil Cornrich, did not return a message seeking comment.
Leavitt interviewed for the head-coaching job at Indiana of the Big Ten after the 2001 season, and with Alabama of the Southeastern Conference in December 2002. He stayed with the Bulls, whom he nursed through their Division I-AA, I-A independent and Conference USA years, but gained more leverage for the extension he signed in 2003, which more than doubled his base salary for this season.
Two members of Snyder's staff, offensive coordinator Del Miller and graduate assistant Dana Dimel, told the Manhattan Mercury they plan to apply for the vacancy. Dimel, head coach at Houston and Wyoming, is a close friend and former colleague of Leavitt's.
Woolard has a policy of not negotiating extensions while sports are in season, but he said he would visit a new deal for Leavitt after the regular season ends. In the past year, he has shown a commitment to keeping successful coaches. Softball coach Ken Eriksen and women's basketball coach Jose Fernandez were linked to vacancies at other schools, and Woolard signed both to new five-year deals through 2010, with a 20 percent raise for Eriksen and a 50 percent bump for Fernandez.
When asked about the opportunity to succeed Snyder at Kansas State, Leavitt reiterated that he wasn't thinking about anything except his team's next opponent.
"We're focused on Connecticut," he said. "That's all that's really important right now."
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