CFN's Top 50 coaches - Leavitt #...

[ETKbull]

37. Jim Leavitt, South Florida – Leavitt is the only head coach USF has ever had, so there’s no telling how he’d function in a completely different environment, but his head coaching debut has been nothing short of remarkable.  He took a program from its infancy a decade ago, and has already guided them out of I-AA and into a BCS conference and the school’s first bowl game.  Leavitt is a straight-shooter, who demands accountability from his players and the rest of his staff.  He’s been wooed by a handful of schools recently, but seems content to continue bull rushing past expectations in Tampa.    

Nine-Year Record: 61-39 (0-1 in bowl games)

Nine-Year Record Before He Arrived: Leavitt is the school’s first and only head coach

http://www.collegefootballnews.com/2006/Columnists/RC/HireEducation_2.htm

[turkeysoup]

49. Greg Schiano, Rutgers – Earning a bowl bid in 2005 was a Herculean accomplishment for Rutgers, but let’s all exercise a little bit of caution as it pertains to Schiano.  Yes, progress is being made, however, the coach has exactly two wins in five years over teams that finished above .500 and never would have gotten that Insight invite if Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College were still in the Big East.  That said, he is young, very well-liked by his kids and amassing a diverse resume that includes stops with Miami, Penn State and the Chicago Bears.

Five-Year Record: 19-39 (0-1 in bowl games)

Five-Year Record Before He Arrived: 11-44 (0-0 in bowl games)

47. Mark Mangino, Kansas – From last December’s first bowl win in a decade to the new $31 million football facility that’s scheduled to open in 2007, there’s something positive happening in Lawrence.  And Mangino, the former Oklahoma assistant, has been the catalyst, helping make football relevant at a traditional basketball power.  Last year’s historical shellacking of Nebraska sent notice that the Jayhawks are about the turn the corner with Mangino at the wheel.    

Four-Year Record: 19-29 (1-1 in bowl games)

Four-Year Record Before He Arrived: 16-29 (0-0 in bowl games)

45. Randy Edsall, UConn – The Huskies are doing their best to keep Edsall from straying, but one of the game’s hottest young coaches may out grow Storrs someday soon.  Skip Holtz really got things going at UConn in the 1990s, but it’s Edsall who has taken the baton and carried the program to new heights in its history.  Under his watch, the Huskies have played in and won their first bowl game and developed a pair of prominent draft choices, and as a full-fledged member of the Big East, even better days lie ahead for Edsall & Co.  

Seven-Year Record: 37-43 (1-0 in bowl games)

Seven-Year Record Before He Arrived: 45-34 (0-0 in bowl games)

37. Jim Leavitt, South Florida – Leavitt is the only head coach USF has ever had, so there’s no telling how he’d function in a completely different environment, but his head coaching debut has been nothing short of remarkable.  He took a program from its infancy a decade ago, and has already guided them out of I-AA and into a BCS conference and the school’s first bowl game.  Leavitt is a straight-shooter, who demands accountability from his players and the rest of his staff.  He’s been wooed by a handful of schools recently, but seems content to continue bull rushing past expectations in Tampa.    

Nine-Year Record: 61-39 (0-1 in bowl games)

Nine-Year Record Before He Arrived: Leavitt is the school’s first and only head coach  

29. George O’Leary, UCF – O’Leary’s best days may be in the rear view mirror, but the game has clearly not passed him by.  He showed that in a massive way last year, turning a team that was winless in 2004 into co-champs of C-USA.  The Knights capped the year with their first-ever bowl game, further validation that O’Leary was back after a bizarre three-year period following his humiliating dismissal from Notre Dame.  He’s a tough disciplinarian and a solid recruiter, which is exactly what UCF needed in order to dig themselves out of the mayhem that existed at the end of Mike Kruczek’s regime.    

Two-Year Record at UCF: 8-16 (0-1 in bowl games)

Two-Year Record Before He Arrived: 10-14 (0-0 in bowl games)

Career Record: 60-49 (2-3)

13. Rich Rodriguez, West Virginia – Rodriguez was an up-and-comer before last year, but winning 11 games and the Sugar Bowl in 2005 with a bunch of untested kids certainly didn’t hurt his reputation or marketability.  He adapts exceedingly well to the specific talent around him and, along with his staff, has done a marvelous job of coaching up kids like Adam Jones, Dan Mozes and Chris Henry, who’ve become much better players after going through Morgantown.  The last time expectations were in the clouds, West Virginia didn’t respond well in 2004, so Rodriguez will be under the microscope this fall.

Five-Year Record: 39-22 (1-3 in bowl games)

Five-Year Record Before He Arrived: 34-25 (1-3 in bowl games)

12. Bobby Petrino, Louisville – In a short amount of time, Petrino has helped build a genuine powerhouse program at Louisville, winning 29 games and averaging 42 points a game over the last three years.  He is widely recognized for having one of the sharpest offensive minds at any level, which is a big reason why NFL and college teams have come calling after each of the last couple seasons.  And that’s the only risk of hiring a rising star, such as Petrino.  Landing him is tough enough, but because he’s in such demand, keeping him on your payroll might be even tougher.  

Three-Year Record: 29-8 (1-2 in bowl games)

Three-Year Record Before He Arrived: 27-11 (1-2 in bowl games)

 

[BULLfreak]

fatass at number 29 is a joke

[turkeysoup]

fatass at number 29 is a joke

He's undernourished compared to #47

[BULLfreak]

true

[Rabbi Bull]

surprised to not see Bobby Bowden, or Joe Pa make the list

[applepj]

Way to go Jim.  Lead us all the way!!!

[Joe]

fatass at number 29 is a joke

He had GT as a powerhouse for a few years, had they beaten FSU they might have had the Heisman winner and a National Title.

I think he's a shiester thats going to "F" UCF in a few years for a bigger program, but I'll let them dig their grave. However, he is a pretty good coach with subpar talent.

CJL is about right at #37, he's still young in the rankings and building up. He could be top 20 in the next 2 years. He has also done a lot with very little talent.

[CyberBull]

I doubt Leavitt worries too much about where he is ranked.

It's not really a fair comparison. GOL got fat beating a bunch of cupcakes. Eventually O'Liar is going to have to win some meaningful games.

[FreaKnight]

I doubt Leavitt worries too much about where he is ranked.

It's not really a fair comparison. GOL got fat beating a bunch of cupcakes. Eventually O'Liar is going to have to win some meaningful games.

I doubt GOL worries too much about where he is ranked either.

I agree that GOL has a lot to prove, and he knows it.  You know what is worse than beating cupcakes?  Losing to them, which is exactly what was occuring before.  His leadership and coaching is exactly what has started to turn the ship around.  Grades have improved dramatically, facilities are being completed, and community interest is much higher than it has been in years.  GOL has played a role in all of that.