level of confidence in CJL

[Joe]

True, I dunno how it would have worked and I'm glad we never will.

[mellobull]

100% doing great!

[BDYZR]

May be another thread, but if JL is not the right guy for the job, who is?

Which dynamic, 24-7, never say die, true BULL would take us thru the next phase of this program?

[dabull80]

100 %  JL is USF football.  I still think that the Pitt win helped us get into the BE and last I checked he was coaching that game.

[Supersurch]

He is a great coach, because he has given his life to this program.  Like E.T. said earlier, we would probably be in our third coach by now if Leavitt was not loyal to this school and program.  

For jimminy sakes, he had a chance to go to Alabama!!!  And for more $$$!!  Win or lose, I think he deserves this university's respect and loyalty back.  

Look at JoPa, on a more extreme example, many people in PSU world wanted him canned after that horrid season.  Last year they kicked butt and they're not doing that bad this year.  But think reasonably about that for a moment.  JoPa IS PSU.  You get rid of him and you lose more than just wins and losses.  You lose a part of the university.  That's how I feel about Leavitt's contributions to this program.

[smazza]

For $1million a year USF gets the following:

1. A coach who is just an average recruiter.

2. A coach who can barely talk in public.

3. A coach who won't compliment Grothe-his only offense YTD.

4. A defensive minded coach whose defense has not performed well YTD.

5. A coach who thought there was enough of a QB controversy to actually start PJ in game#1. We almost lost that D1AA game.

I know everybody likes to hold CJL in high esteem because he "grew" the program from the dirt up. But, please it's now 10 years. We need a coach who can grow us for the next 10 years. Does CJL have that much personal talent or anywhere near that much luck??

Or, consider this about CJL. What would our record be thus far without the personal heroics of one player??

where have you been?

very accurate assessement

[smazza]

110%.  Very few, IF ANY, coaches in country could have brought USF from where it was, working out of trailers, and pounding fence posts, to where it is today.  This is a fact.

Fact:  If leavitt weren't the coach, we would be in the Sun Belt right now.  (at least my version of the facts).

For those of you voting 40-70%, can any one dispute this.

i think usf would be a top 25 team competing with ul and wv with the right coach

leavitt has underachieved tx

usf/tampa got us in big east more than leavitt

[BULLheaded]

for me-- anyone who is that dedicated to something and who so very hard to get the most out of it deserves a similar respect from me.

Now some people haven't liked the whole SMith at OC situation or this or that--- regardless, it seems simple to be a blamer after the game is over or without any of the day to day inside knowledge.

Coaching is a tough profession and the more visible the program, the harder it seems to get. The way I see it, each time we've ascended to the next challenge we've met the challenge. Maybe not immediately but eventually we got things cooking along. CJL would probably have a CUSA championship had those numbnuts not made us wait two more years than he thought we would. He kept pushing along, weathering a very nice 9-2 season only to be denied a bowl game. It's stuff like that that endears him to many folks including myself. He could sit there and whine about how tough it's been but he just takes it one day/one game at a time and does whatever he can to make the team ready.

Now that may describe 95% of all head coaches in college football-- who really knows. All I can say is this guy is all about USF. He's had chances to move along but this one is personal. He wants it so bad you can see it. I don't know how you can replace that type of passion for a team or a school. That's why I am certain he is a 100% the right choice for USF.

I agree completely about respecting Leavitt after all he has done for us. I also agree that he is 100% commited to our program which is why I 100% HOPE that he ends up being our coach for his entire career. However, you did ask everyone's opinion on whether or not we think he should be not if we hope he will be and unless we're just having a feel good thread I have to answer it honestly. The key to the answer to me is where I would like to see the program evolve into and to me that would be:

1)perennial BE champion

2)prominent national program

3)always have a packed stadium

4)become the premier team (at least college team) in Tampa

I think everything Leavitt has done has build a very very solid foundation for us to get there and has accomplished something that probably only a handfull of people could have (or would be willing to) have achieved. That being said, it is my opinion that we still just don't know if he can go all the way or if there is a cap on his abilities. He has proven that he has talent as a coach but at the same time has shown some flaws that IMO could hold him back. IMO a lot will depend on his ability to adapt as the situations and needs change.

So again, I 100% hope he is the coach yet can only say with confidence at this point that he (at this level) is a good coach with some flaws.

[BDYZR]

Smazza, you didn't answer my question.

Who can you bring in and absolutely guarantee better results?

[Joe]

It's hard to say a coach is 100% THAT program. How have to have several things happen that allow that coach to become the face of the program, and building helps but doens't always require it.

The few I can think of off my head:

JoePa - Penn State, he's won a couple National Titles and has been screwed out of 3-4 more.

Bobby Bowden - FSU - He didn't start the program and they did have some successes but seriously, this guy will live more centuries.

Bear Bryant - Alabama - Didn't start the program, but put together the most dominating program for 20 years.

Right now (and don't jump on me for this) I'd compare Leavitt to a guy like Jeff Bower at Southern Mississippi. He's built a solid program that can compete with the big boys but does have some consistency issues. Bower turned down job offers from Ole Miss and Baylor to stay at So. Miss where he has been for over 15 years and probably will remain there for 10 or so more years.

Is this where I want to be? No, but taking off the Green and Gold glasses, this is where we are now. Leavitt has done Tremendous job building this program, but he knows and we should understand that this still has a Long tme before we're a consistent "national" program.