USF Athletics

The first football coach in USF history, Leavitt was hired in 1996 to lead the USF program into existence from mobile trailers parked on the east end of campus. He guided USF football from a practice-only season in 1996 to its debut in 1997 and three FCS seasons before a fast transition to FBS football in year four. Over 13 seasons, he compiled a program-best 95-57 record (.625) while leading the Bulls to a No. 2 national ranking in 2007 and five straight bowl games (winning three).
 
Leavitt led USF to an invitation to join Conference USA starting in the 2003 season and two years later an invitation to compete in the Big East starting in 2005. The Bulls posted a 9-2 mark in 2002 as an FBS independent and compiled a pair of nine-win seasons in 2006 (9-4) and 2007 (9-4) as members of the Big East.
 
Leavitt’s teams defeated three top 10 ranked opponents (No. 5 West Virginia, No. 7 West Virginia and No. 9 Louisville) and eight FBS ranked foes overall, including victories over No. 11 Kansas, at No. 13 Auburn, at No. 18 Florida State, No. 20 West Virginia and No. 25 Bowling Green. The Bulls became the fastest program to go from inception to a top five national ranking as USF claimed the No. 2 spot in the Associated Press poll during Week 7 of the 2007 season following upset wins at No. 13 Auburn and vs. No. 5 West Virginia in Raymond James Stadium. The Bulls spent three weeks in the top 10 and 26 weeks overall ranked in the AP poll under Leavitt.
 
Leavitt coached 11 All-Americans (four First Team) and 38 all-conference players as the Bulls posted 10 winning seasons and reached a bowl game every year from 2005 to 2009, including the program’s first-ever bowl appearance (2005 Meineke Car Care Bowl), first bowl win (2006 Papajohns.com Bowl) and victories in the 2008 MagicJack St. Petersburg Bowl and 2009 International Bowl.
 
Following his time at USF, Leavitt served as linebackers coach for the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers (2011-14), helping them to an NFC Championship and Super Bowl XLVII. He also served as defensive coordinator at Colorado (2015-16), Oregon (2017-18), FAU (2020) and SMU (2021).
 
Leavitt was inducted into the USF Athletic Hall of Fame in the Class of 2025.