Leavitt’s Future Unclear as Season Closes

Posted Jan 1, 2010 by Scott Carter

Updated Jan 1, 2010 at 08:26 PM

Here is a story I wrote for Saturday’s edition of The Tampa Tribune about the unclear future of Bulls coach Jim Leavitt as his 13th season comes to an end today in the International Bowl:

TORONTO— Shortly before noon today at the Rogers Centre, University of South Florida coach Jim Leavitt will sprint onto the field as usual as he leads the Bulls into the International Bowl against Northern Illinois.

The high-energy and at times football-consumed Leavitt is seeking another first in the 13-year history of the USF football program: consecutive bowl wins.

During his speech at Friday’s bowl luncheon, Leavitt acknowledged how obsessed with the game he can become during football season.

“I go real hard,” he told a crowd packed inside a ballroom at USF’s team hotel on the shore of Lake Ontario. “I go fast. I love our program. And I love our situation and our players.

“You can’t do anything unless you’re together as a team.’‘

Over the past three weeks, many outside the program have questioned whether Leavitt should still be USF’s coach, or whether his passion for the game may have gone over the line during halftime of a Nov. 21 game against Louisville.

The questions first surfaced when FanHouse.com, an AOL-owned sports Web site, reported Dec. 14 that Leavitt allegedly grabbed sophomore special-teams player Joel Miller by the neck and struck him twice in the face after Miller played poorly in the first half. The report was based primarily on five anonymous sources and second-hand accounts from Miller’s coach at Wharton High, David Mitchell, and Miller’s father, Paul.

Paul Miller later said the report mischaracterized the incident and that a quote of his was used out of context. Mitchell later stuck by his understanding of what Joel Miller had told him shortly after the alleged incident, even after Miller told ESPN that Leavitt “only grabbed my shoulder pads to motivate me. Me and Coach Leavitt are fine. I don’t think anything should happen to him.’‘

USF officials opened an investigation into the alleged incident on Dec. 15, meeting with Joel and Paul Miller to get their versions of what happened. USF executive associate athletic director Bill McGillis maintained Friday that the investigation is “ongoing’’ and that school officials continue to stick by their initial pledge of not commenting on the investigation until it is complete.

Meanwhile, Leavitt has seemingly gone about his business as usual during the most tumultuous month of his coaching career. Following the Bulls’ final practice of the season on Thursday, Leavitt again denied any wrongdoing and said he has already put the incident behind him despite the investigation remaining open.

“It hasn’t fazed me one bit,’’ Leavitt said. “I know what’s right. If I know what’s right, then I’m fine.’‘

While the allegations caused an initial furor, the International Bowl had no concerns after selecting USF a week before the online report surfaced.

“USF is a national story, with what Coach Leavitt has accomplished at this program and the growth development,’’ said Don Loding, president of the Toronto Sports Association, which organizes the game. “He’s the blueprint for building other programs, and people are going to South Florida to investigate and see how to do that. This is a well-known team, and we’re happy to have them.’‘

In the days after the initial report was published, players were cut off from the media. No one who witnessed the incident between Miller and Leavitt has come forward publicly saying Leavitt acted inappropriately.

Senior linebacker Chris Robinson was in the locker room at the time of the alleged incident and told The Tampa Tribune earlier this week that nothing happened out of the ordinary.

“I was there and knew what happened and saw what happened,’’ Robinson said. “It was nothing. That’s why when the media blew it up, I was like, ‘this will be done way before the bowl game.’ It wasn’t really a distraction, it was the thought of what could possibly happen if it did get blown out of proportion or misconstrued.’‘

Robinson backs Miller’s version of the story, and he credits Leavitt for turning his life around after off-the-field issues threatened Robinson’s career when he first arrived at USF.

“Early on in my career, I had some setbacks. He always looked out for me. Because he gave that second chance, I’m now going to get my degree, and I feel like I’m going to be a very successful person because of him.

“I love the man very, very dearly.’‘

Senior safety Nate Allen, one of USF’s top NFL prospects, said the situation was a minor distraction at first, but that the players remain behind Leavitt despite persistent rumors — Rivals.com reported Friday that “the hot rumor in coaching circles is South Florida may change coaches after its bowl’’ — that Leavitt could be out as USF’s head coach.

“Coach Leavitt is a great coach,’’ Allen said. “I hope he’s here forever, because these guys want him here, everybody wants him here. We all want him here.’‘

Another hot rumor that has circulated on talk radio and Internet message boards is that Leavitt has offered Miller a scholarship.

“No one has said anything to us about one,’’ Paul Miller said Friday. “He’s not on scholarship. He deserves one. He is no slouch.’‘

Paul Miller added that he has had no contact with USF officials about the matter since being interviewed Dec. 15.

“None at all,’’ Paul Miller said. “Joel is there (in Toronto) and doing real well. Nothing has changed. I’m just going to hang it out and see what happens.’‘

As for when a final report on USF’s investigation will be released, that remains uncertain. The school, which hired outside labor expert Tom Gonzalez to lead the inquiry, has not announced a deadline.

Meanwhile, after sprinting onto the Rogers Centre field this afternoon, Leavitt plans to pull on his headset and take his familiar spot on the sideline for his 152nd game as USF’s head coach, at peace with the situation.

“I’m telling you, it hasn’t fazed me one bit,’’ he said. “If I know I’m right in my heart, and I know what all happened, then I’m in good shape.

“I’m excited about our players and trying to win a football game.’’