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Leavitt Glad To Be At South Florida

Tribune photo by JAY CONNER

USF and Jim Leavitt have seen peaks and valleys recently, but he calls his current gig the best in the nation.

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 5, 2008

TAMPA With Wednesday's announcement that Kansas State coach Ron Prince won't return in 2009, Coach Jim Leavitt made clear how grateful he was to be at the University of South Florida.

"You guys know this [being at USF] is my heart and soul," said Leavitt, who was an assistant at KSU under former coach Bill Snyder. "I'm pretty fortunate to be here, which I think is the best job in the country."

Leavitt was in the mix for the KSU opening in December 2005, but remained at USF after getting a new seven-year, $7 million deal. Since then USF reworked the contract last year, giving $12.6 million over seven years, so it's highly unlikely he would leave USF for KSU, where he was an assistant. Also Leavitt would be responsible for a $1 million buyout if he left USF before Jan. 1, 2009, and $900,000 after Jan. 1, 2009.

NEED MOTIVATION? Leavitt believes the players aren't carrying any lingering emotional aftereffects from last week's loss at Cincinnati, which was the Bulls' third defeat in their past four games.

"They've been great. They understand that we've just got to play a little bit better," Leavitt said. "[Winning the Big East] is always our No. 1 goal, and we're probably out of that one."

Leavitt said, however, there is still plenty to play for in the final three games, like trying to get to a bowl game for the fourth consecutive year.

Gregg Becnel

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