Por (KoozeeKingdom) on November 13, 2009 (Suggest removal)

If USF was never scheduled to play another Thursday night game against Rutgers, that would be alright with me.  We don’t need THIS kind of exposure.  CJL is a mastermind when it comes to prepping his players for games where they’re big underdogs, but needs to rethink his methods for games where USF is supposed to win.

Por (Terry_Lucas) on November 13, 2009 (Suggest removal)

Coach meet ceiling… It happens in everyone’s career. At some point, you either re-invent yourself or you move on to your next stop in life. Which will it be for our university? Four straight losses to UC and RU should not sit well with anyone considering our prime location for talent. Totally disgusted…

Por (Hector Jimenez) on November 13, 2009 (Suggest removal)

But this much can be said, the same thing happens every year but with different kids, therefore it has to be the coaching.  It is very difficult to follow this team as long as they continue play and be coached liked this. 

As a USF alumnus I am disgusted….at the very least the AD and the Admin should send CJL the message that he is “expendable” and see what happens next year….if coaches who have won NC get run out of town then so can a lifetime 7-5 or 8-4 performer.

Por (Hector Jimenez) on November 13, 2009 (Suggest removal)

Terry….I ahve to agree with you.  I am usually very supportive of USF and CJL but last night was the first time I have ever turned off the TV and walked away.

CJL has met his ceiling, as you suggested, but sadly the University will not change the head coach….and probably isn’t even thinking about it, considering what he has done for the school and the program.

Por (Tribune Sports) on November 13, 2009 (Suggest removal)

Don’t mind this post from a TBO editor checking the commenting process on the blog. Continue with your Bulls conversation.

Por (USF99) on November 13, 2009 (Suggest removal)

Rutgers and Cincinnati are two of the best coached teams in the Big East, their teams are always prepared, and their game plan is usually spot on.

Rutgers kept two extra guys in the box shadowing Daniels the entire game. That means that our receivers had to be getting either one-on-one or soft zone coverage; so you’d think we would have adjusted the receiving routs accordingly to take advantage; but instead we kept with the same playbook we run every week, running a bunch of QB draws, even though the Rutgers defense was designed specifically to stop that.

No matter how high the talent level, we aren’t going to be able to win against good teams consistently if our game plan isn’t adapted in response to what our opponents are doing.

Por (USF99) on November 13, 2009 (Suggest removal)

It also doesn’t help that the team has been ranked in the top 10 for penalties each of the past 9 seasons, another example of the ineptitude of CJL.

Really, he’s the highest paid coach in the conference, and if he didn’t happen to be located in the most talent-rich region in the country does anyone seriously think a CJL coached team would be competitive in Division 1 football?

Talent can’t be expected to overcome poor coaching every week ...

Por (Dan Alatorre) on November 13, 2009 (Suggest removal)

I like Coach Leavitt, and I like our chances against Louisville and Miami. But if we are going to have this conversation, then let’s have it: what does Leavitt need to win? He has 3 other schools in Florida that have won National Championships, so what top tier talent wants to come here first? Some, but it’s not like everyone does. Next, those schools have a lot of tradition and reputations as schools that we don’t have. We are a good academic school, but not like them. He needs more money to recruit and hire better assistant coaches, and he needs a mentor who can teach him how to get to the next level. How do we get those things?

Por (USF99) on November 13, 2009 (Suggest removal)

Someone who makes nearly 2 million a year shouldn’t require a “mentor.”

The problem isn’t that he’s losing recruits to UF and Miami, it’s that he’s losing them to schools like Rutgers. The question to ask is: What motivates a Florida kid to leave their hometown to play in New Jersey?

Por (Dan Alatorre) on November 14, 2009 (Suggest removal)

How much money he makes is not the issue. He is well paid. The comments here indicate that he isn’t doing a good enough job. My point is, how/where does he get that skill set? Osmosis? He was not a head coach with a National Championship record or AP Top 10 record when he came here. Get him what he needs - whatever he needs. A kid will leave Florida for the chance to start at a winning program or a chance to play for a potential national championship, or because his girlfriend is going to Rutgers or he can get a degree from an ivy league school.

Por (Dan Alatorre) on November 14, 2009 (Suggest removal)

Coach Leavitt and our team have shown the ability to beat big time schools in difficult situations, multiple times. We can beat up the cupcakes at the start of our schedule. We beat less than half of our conference teams. What do we need to win consistantly? BETTER players, BETTER coaches… (I think we have good facilities now; no issue there). Better coaches cost more money, and aside from Leavitt, we pay our coaches very little; they can get a $100k raise or more for leaving us and going just about anywhere else. It’s hard to keep them because of that, and it’s hard to attract good coaches for the same reason.

Por (Dan Alatorre) on November 14, 2009 (Suggest removal)

Scott, I think it would be an eye-opener to show the salaries of USF coaches next to Florida, Miami, FSU and UCF. A similar position at USF pays $90k and at UF it pays $450k. Coaches can leave here and double or triple their salaries at schools that are smaller than USF and are outside of Florida. Between that and the fact that EVERY TEAM recruits from Florida, it’s no cake walk for USF coaches to get the best players. Oh, and by the way, Leavitt’s buyout is HUGE, so he isn’t going anywhere for the next 5 years, because USF doesn’t have that money. So unless people want to wait for him to figure out how to get himself and this team to the next level, maybe hiring a mentor or whatever you want to call it, is a pretty good idea.

Por (Dan Alatorre) on November 14, 2009 (Suggest removal)

2009 USF Football Salaries (Tampa Tribune 6/27/09)
Mike Canales $200,000
Joe Tresey $190,000
Carl Franks, running backs $170,000 (last year $150,000)
John Hendrick, special teams $130,000 ($120,000)
Mike Simmonds, co-offensive line $120,000 ($100,000)
Larry Scott, co-offensive line $120,000 ($90,000) and
Kevin Patrick, defensive line $120,000 ($70,000).
David Blackwell, linebackers/co-defensive coordinator $160,000
Phil McGeoghan, wide receivers $80,000
The remaining $60,000 of assistants’ salary pool is undetermined

Por (Dan Alatorre) on November 14, 2009 (Suggest removal)

Per the USA Today report recently, our coaches (not head coach) are not even in the top 1/3 of all schools in pay, but we want to be a top 25 team? is it fair to say that the better performing programs also have sought out the better coaches and have paid them better? Tennessee pays an assistant coach $1.2 million, almost what out head coach makes. My point is, we HAVE to find better assistant coaches and coordinators, and we will have to pay them better. We have to pay our good coaches better to retain them - we have been a departure station for quite a while.

Por (Dan Alatorre) on November 14, 2009 (Suggest removal)

Without that money, I think Leavitt was/is trying to do too much himself. Until last year, he was also the special teams coach, so he could use that money to pay his other coaches better. It was a mistake, and our special teams showed it - and maybe it affected his ability to be a head coach, too, because he may have been spread too thin.

Big East head coach salaries (ESPN 2009)
Greg Schiano, Rutgers: $2.07 million
Jim Leavitt, South Florida: $1.6 million
Randy Edsall, UConn: $1.45 million
Brian Kelly, Cincinnati: $1.3265 million
Steve Kragthorpe, Louisville: $1.216 million
Dave Wannstedt, Pittsburgh: $979,288
Bill Stewart, West Virginia: $878,000
Doug Marrone, Syracuse: N/A (private school)

Por (Dan Alatorre) on November 14, 2009 (Suggest removal)

Coaches also receive money for hosting a TV show, radio show, clothing endorsements, housing, car, etc., and bonuses for bowl achievements, so the total compensation may be different than above.

Leavitt’s salary is in the top 25% of head coaches, but when you add in other compensation and bonuses, it is not even in the top 1/2. When you add it all up, you can say that we want to be in the top 25 schools as a football team, but we don’t pay out coaches like we mean it.

Por (Hector Jimenez) on November 14, 2009 (Suggest removal)

Why are we talking about salaries?  Salaries are not winning or losing games for us?  I can show you tons of coaches throughout America, especially at the HS level, who win without high salaries.

What we see every year is lack of motivation, urgency, domination from players who have the talent.  These coaches fail to motivate and prepare and salary has nothing to do with it.

As an alumnus, I am tired of donating money to a program that continues to show the same problems year in and out.  A coaching change is needed, more money will not make these coaches motivate better…..this up and down attitude/persona has to change.

Por (Dan Alatorre) on November 14, 2009 (Suggest removal)

I’m saying the we need better coaches, and better coaches cost more money. if you look at the successful programs, they typically pay much more than us. Sure,  there are some exceptions. but if we want to win, we have to improve coaching, and that means get better coaches, and that means paying them what a good coach is worth, and Leavitt stays because his buyout is crazy high, so we get him the help he needs. Under him and over him if necessary. Remember, the USF basketball program took a huge hit when they got rid of Heath. Firing the head coach is not always the answer

Por (USF99) on November 14, 2009 (Suggest removal)

There is plenty of money in the overall coaches pool, the reason that the assistant coaches are paid so little is because, unlike most other head coaches, Leavitt keeps the bonuses associated with various accomplishments (e.g., going to bowl games) for himself instead of having them spread around to his coaching staff. This is in addition to the many other unusual perks that he demands for himself (such as having TWO cars paid for by the school) which would otherwise go to into his assistant coaches salaries.

Leavitts buyout is $800k, thats roughly the same as the payout from the CarCare Bowl. Much better to pay it now than to continuing dumping $2 million + down the drain every season. It’s small price to pay to be rid of this Diva.

Por (Don G) on November 14, 2009 (Suggest removal)

My take: 1) more money attracts better coaching talent - plan and simple; 2) after season, USF fires OC and hires a proven OC from the MAC or Mtn West that wants chance to coach at BCS level; 3) Leavitt’s emotional method of coaching has to change; 4) Offense is the issue. USF lacks solid offensive coaching & ability to make needed changes; and 5) receivers are horrible; 6) Leavitt gets outcoached against better BE teams. Maybe time for a change there? Only thing that salvages season is Bulls beat L’ville and Miami. They always lose when playing at UCONN.

Por (Don G) on November 14, 2009 (Suggest removal)

Scott, here are my concerns/analysis as you requested from us: 1) lack of adjustments to Rutgers defense up front. Bulls stayed with same game plan regardless of what Rutgers defense was doing all nite.  Why?; 2) USF receivers appear lazy and never make adjustments to routes to help out a scrambling QB. Why?; 3) why no screen passes or quick slant passes based on what Rutgers defense was doing?; 4) why no running game? There were lanes from tackles to ends; 5) Re: punt returns, high school players know NEVER to catch a punt over your head; you simply let it go. Is that taught by coaches or just expected of players? And lastly; 6) why are DBs playing so far back from receivers and allowing so many short passes?

Por (Dan Alatorre) on November 14, 2009 (Suggest removal)

Don, I think your comments and questions are absolutely right. And too often we have had to scramble to hire a guy because somebody left to make more money at a different school. USF99, I am not sure any of your comments are accurate. If Leavitt negotiates a contract for 2 cars, good for him; his wife can drive one. USF didn’t have to agree to it, and $2000 a month on a car lease isn’t the problem. I would like to see the sources for your info, if you can get it. Please understand, this isn’t personal. I would like to come up with real answers to the problems at USF, and too often fans just say Fire The Coach.

Por (Dan Alatorre) on November 14, 2009 (Suggest removal)

You know what else is funny? Several times after or during a really good season, fans were afraid Leavitt would be recruited away from USF to a bigger program. It was not even 4 years ago that everyone thought he was leaving us for kansas. Although, to his credit, I do not believe Leavitt has ever said anything other than that he wants to retire here at USF. If he puts up a good season next year, we will be hearing those things again. So basically he should be fired when he has a bad year and he’s going to be recruited away when he has a good year. Amazing.

Por (Scott Carter) on November 14, 2009 (Suggest removal)

Hey guys, you’ve done a great job of talking about some key issues that surround the program right now. I’ve got a couple of enterprise stories working to explore the state of the program; a big loss like Thursday always gets fans riled up, but some of the questions Don raised about the actual game are interesting. Obviously from what I wrote for today’s paper, no one was happy about losing, much less the way they lost. It will be interesting to see what they do offensively against Louisville next week.

Por (USF99) on November 15, 2009 (Suggest removal)

I guess it depends on what one considers a “good year.” The Diva has never ended a season in the Top 25, and has never even had a better than 4-3 record in the Big East. If it weren’t for Syracuse he’d be less than 35% against Big East teams. It’s “amazing” that anyone would be foolish enough to think he’d get a legitimate Division 1 offer elsewhere.

I’d hope they’d do well against the likes of Louisville on homecoming weekend. Of course, even still, they’re now guaranteed to do no better than 4-3 in conference play yet again this year.

My source is the Tampa Tribune.