While Skip Holtz’s eventually landed the job, the USF head coaching position drew plenty of interest after Jim Leavitt was fired for hitting a player.
According to a public records request by the Tampa Tribune, Oklahoma offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson and Virginia Tech’s Bud Foster both submitted resumes for the opening, among a slew of other candidates.
The news is particularly interesting that Foster applied, because he just agreed to an $800,000 deferred package to stay at Virginia Tech, after turning down Georgia for their defensive coordinator position. Meanwhile, the Sooners’ Wilson may have seen his star fade with the offensive struggles that coincided with Heisman Trophy quarterback Sam Bradford’s demise, but his name was more closely associated to the East Carolina job that eventually went to Ruffin McNeill.
Other high-profile names that submitted resumes for the job were New York Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride, Harvard head coach Tim Murphy, Michigan offensive coordinator Calvin Magee, who impressed university brass with a package filled with USF logos, Nebraska offensive coordinator Shaun Watson, and Florida assistant and former Iowa State head coach Dan McCarney.