USF football coach Jim Leavitt fired

[YoFuggedaboutit]

Wow, I did not see this one coming.  I'd love to hear Tenshot's commentary on this

http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2010/01/08/south-florida-cuts-ties-with-coach-jim-leavitt/?ncid=txtlnkusspor00000002&xid=siextra_newsletter010810

If he would've smacked me like that, I would've taken off my helmet and beat the shit outta him with it. 

[bsmooth]

The times have really changed and coaches have to realize that the old ways of treating players will cost you your job.

[YoFuggedaboutit]

The times have really changed and coaches have to realize that the old ways of treating players will cost you your job.

Good point there bsmooth.... this is very true, especially in light of the Mark Mangino and Mike Leach situations.

[Tenshot13]

Pretty much Leavitt hit the kid.  They tried to sweep it under the rug, and the kid retracted his statement, saying it was a "misunderstanding" (there were rumors that the kid was offered a full ride, because he was just a special teamer and not on scholarship, and that's why he retracted his statement on being hit). 

Then, when Leavitt found out who the kid was that ratted him out (or who he thought ratted him out), he cleaned out the kids locker, including the International Bowl jersey he had from the bowl game, and threw it in the trash.  Yesterday, that kid was on the Steve Duemeg show, a show on Tampa's local radio sports talk station.  He talked for about 20 minutes about how Leavitt hit the kid and that he was lying to everyone.  Then, today, Leavitt was fired. 

It kind of sucks because he took a school from nothing to a contender, but at the same time, now that USF is getting notoriety the past few years, we could be in the running for a better coach.  Above all else, this isn't the old days.  You can't hit kids because you can't control yourself.