Here’s a coaching move that’s guaranteed to raise an eyebrow or two.
Citing multiple sources, 247Sports.com is reporting that Oregon head coach Mario Cristobal has decided to part ways with Jim Leavitt as his defensive coordinator. The website writes that "[t]he reasoning behind Leavitt’s departure isn’t known at this time.”
It’s expected that Cristobal will stay in-house for a replacement and promote co-defensive coordinator Keith Heyward to solo coordinator.
Leavitt had also served as the Ducks’ linebackers coach; the same website notes that the football program has already begun a search outside of the football program to fill that role.
Leavitt, who was as the head coach at South Florida from 1997-2009, has spent the past two seasons in Eugene. The Ducks finished tied for 63rd nationally in scoring defense in 2018 (27 points per game) and 77th in 2017 (28.3 ppg); the year prior to Leavitt’s arrival, they were 126th (out of 128 FBS teams at the time) at 41.4 ppg.
After his unceremonious exit from USF in January of 2010, and after being out of the college game for more than five years, Leavitt was named the defensive coordinator at Colorado in February of 2015 and spent two seasons with the Buffaloes before leaving for the Ducks. Leavitt was hired by current Florida State head coach Willie Taggart and retained when Cristobal took over.