After five years away from the college game, it appears Jim Leavitt is back in it.
Both FootballScoop.com and Rivals.com are reporting that Leavitt has been tapped by Mike MacIntyre to serve as Colorado’s defensive coordinator. While Leavitt has spent the past four seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, it’s at the collegiate level in general and USF specifically where he made his coaching name.
Leavitt served as the Bulls’ head coach for 13 seasons before being unceremoniously dismissed amidst a cloud of controversy in January of 2010. At the time of his firing, it was alleged that Leavitt grabbed a player by the throat and struck him twice with his other hand.
In March of 2010, Leavitt sued USF, claiming that he was illegally fired by the university. A little over 10 months later, the two sides reached agreement on a $2.75 million settlement.
Leavitt last carried the title of coordinator while at Kansas State from 1991-95, although that came from a “co-" designation. He did, though, have a significant amount of influence over USF’s defense during his time there as head coach.
If the hiring becomes official, Leavitt will replace Kent Baer, who left for the same job at UNLV in December.