Leavitt - the plot thickens

[Drewski]

2 hours ago, USFguy1977 said:

After this fustercluck, Jim Leavitt is the ONLY option IMO.  And I was one of the ones saying he'd never coach at USF again.

Kelly has screwed this up from every single angle and left the program in shambles.  According to media accounts, Deion's camp hasn't been particularly good at hiding things from anyone except Kelly.  If he had read the tea leaves 4 days ago and turned the page, the narrative would have been quite different.  Our fanbase had already been whittled away to all but the most diehard - and the way this was played just took out a whole new swath of those.  We can sit here and talk about good Xs-and-Os coaches or good recruiters all we want, but what we need more than anything right now is a tourniquet to stop the bleeding with the goodwill of the fanbase - and the ONLY person who can do that is Leavitt.  Yes, the optics are bad.  It will be obvious to the whole world that Leavitt was not choice #1 (because why wait to hire him?).  Kelly just needs to be up front and admit that he was chasing a unicorn because that is what the fans wanted.  Acknowledge that Leavitt was not the first choice but frame it as if he were a close second and may actually be the better fit for the program in the long-run.  Imagine the legend of the Jim after he builds the program, gets fired, and then comes riding back in on his white horse to save us from certain death...

Point being that none of it matters without fan support.  And sure, fans will come with the wins...but can the wins come without fans?

CJL would indeed be the only hire that would tame the fanbase after this debacle ... but like was articulated earlier, I fear this would be us chasing nostalgia and might be a mistake long-term. I would love nothing more than to be be wrong about this. 

[USFBULL_08]

10 minutes ago, El_Toro_86 said:

I am certainly no Leavitte however this seems like the only way out for our inept athletic leadership

Don't forget the ones who hired those inept athletic leaders. This goes from the coach all the way to the top.

[usfbullrider]

Give us Jim hire Flowers/Kwebb to recruit Miami.  I really don't care at least I'd be rooting for the good guys.  Jim will figure out how to win a lot faster than these spring chickens we keep hiring.

[Brad]

5 minutes ago, Drewski said:

this would be us chasing nostalgia and might be a mistake long-term.

It would be chasing a proven coach that will win at this level, immediately.  And you would transition to a coach in waiting within three years.  You build a foundation and a program that people are PROUD to be a part of and want to be a part of again.  This is what we are missing.  We shouldn't be trying to convince coaches to come here.  No one does their best work in that environment.

[Rocky Style]

Just now, Brad said:

It would be chasing a proven coach that will win at this level, immediately.  And you would transition to a coach in waiting within three years.  You build a foundation and a program that people are PROUD to be a part of and want to be a part of again.  This is what we are missing.  We shouldn't be trying to convince coaches to come here.  No one does their best work in that environment.

Exactly.  I had this thought this morning.  Who cares about USF anymore?  However we are close.  We have the OC and special teams playing well.  The defense is what it is, but could be headbutted into glory.

[thekidnapper]

Also, Jim is only 10 years older than Sanders so that argument is moot.

[michibull]

12 minutes ago, Brad said:

It would be chasing a proven coach that will win at this level, immediately.  And you would transition to a coach in waiting within three years.  You build a foundation and a program that people are PROUD to be a part of and want to be a part of again.  This is what we are missing.  We shouldn't be trying to convince coaches to come here.  No one does their best work in that environment.

Nailed it!! I would have upvoted, but ran out, haha. 

[Bull Nut]

You can't kill what is already dead. CJL CWT 2023!

[Drewski]

12 minutes ago, Brad said:

It would be chasing a proven coach that will win at this level, immediately.  And you would transition to a coach in waiting within three years.  You build a foundation and a program that people are PROUD to be a part of and want to be a part of again.  This is what we are missing.  We shouldn't be trying to convince coaches to come here.  No one does their best work in that environment.

If it plays out as you say, I would absolutely love nothing more and it would be a hell of a story. The assumption that him being proven and successful 12 year ago would translate into success today is what has me a bit cautious. A lot of time has passed. 

That said, if CJL is announced tomorrow or monday, it would be awesome - and I'd be all in. 

[USFBULL_08]

Not sure if he is a good idea, but him coaching the team into the new stadium and winning a conference championship would be one heck of a redemption arc.