thought leavitt did a good job with so. fla....sorry to see him leave....
By Brett McMurphy
TAMPA, Fla. -- University of South Florida fired coach Jim Leavitt Friday morning for striking a player and subsequently lying to investigators, FanHouse has learned.
USF fired the only coach the Bulls have had in the program's 13-year history following an investigation initiated after a FanHouse report that stated Leavitt grabbed sophomore Joel Miller by the throat and hit the walk-on twice in the face Nov. 21 at halftime of the Louisville game.
Share Leavitt was told he was not returning Friday morning in a meeting with USF president Judy Genshaft.
Findings of the investigation into allegations will be released later today.
Meanwhile, South Florida assistants were ordered off the road to meet with Genshaft and athletic director Doug Woolard.
FanHouse first reported details of the incident Dec. 14. Five witnesses, USF players and staff members, said that Leavitt was upset by a mistake Miller made on special teams during the first half against Louisville, and subsequently struck Miller twice.
"You do something like that [on the street], you put them in jail," Paul Miller, Joel's father and a former Tampa police officer, told FanHouse at the time. "Somewhere [Leavitt] crossed the line."
When reached for comment Dec. 14, Leavitt would neither confirm nor deny the incident.
"Things that happen or don't happen usually are kept within the team -- whether they happen or don't happen. If you want to talk about recruiting, I'll talk about recruiting."
Wednesday, wide receiver Colby Erskin, who was not present int he locker room at the time, told FanHouse that Miller told him about the incident and asked for his advice on what he should do, a few days after the Nov. 21 incident.
Erskin also said Leavitt cleaned out his locker and threw his personal effects into a trash bin. Erskin said he believed that Leavitt suspected him of leaking the story to the media.
Leavitt, who is 95-47 overall at South Florida and 17-18 in the Big East, is completing the second year of a seven-year contract worth $12.6 million. He made $1.6 million this year, plus incentives.
He guided the Bulls to a 27-3 International Bowl victory over Northern Illinois in what would be his final game.
By Brett McMurphy
TAMPA, Fla. -- University of South Florida fired coach Jim Leavitt Friday morning for striking a player and subsequently lying to investigators, FanHouse has learned.
USF fired the only coach the Bulls have had in the program's 13-year history following an investigation initiated after a FanHouse report that stated Leavitt grabbed sophomore Joel Miller by the throat and hit the walk-on twice in the face Nov. 21 at halftime of the Louisville game.
Share Leavitt was told he was not returning Friday morning in a meeting with USF president Judy Genshaft.
Findings of the investigation into allegations will be released later today.
Meanwhile, South Florida assistants were ordered off the road to meet with Genshaft and athletic director Doug Woolard.
FanHouse first reported details of the incident Dec. 14. Five witnesses, USF players and staff members, said that Leavitt was upset by a mistake Miller made on special teams during the first half against Louisville, and subsequently struck Miller twice.
"You do something like that [on the street], you put them in jail," Paul Miller, Joel's father and a former Tampa police officer, told FanHouse at the time. "Somewhere [Leavitt] crossed the line."
When reached for comment Dec. 14, Leavitt would neither confirm nor deny the incident.
"Things that happen or don't happen usually are kept within the team -- whether they happen or don't happen. If you want to talk about recruiting, I'll talk about recruiting."
Wednesday, wide receiver Colby Erskin, who was not present int he locker room at the time, told FanHouse that Miller told him about the incident and asked for his advice on what he should do, a few days after the Nov. 21 incident.
Erskin also said Leavitt cleaned out his locker and threw his personal effects into a trash bin. Erskin said he believed that Leavitt suspected him of leaking the story to the media.
Leavitt, who is 95-47 overall at South Florida and 17-18 in the Big East, is completing the second year of a seven-year contract worth $12.6 million. He made $1.6 million this year, plus incentives.
He guided the Bulls to a 27-3 International Bowl victory over Northern Illinois in what would be his final game.
