Many pursued USF football coaching position

Skip Holtz got the job, but in the days after the University of South Florida fired former head football coach Jim Leavitt, coaches from around the country began sending USF officials materials showing an interest in the job.

However, Holtz wasn't one of them. USF officials contacted him first, leading to his hiring Jan. 14.

On Jan. 8, the day USF President Judy Genshaft and athletic director Doug Woolard announced at a noon news conference that the university had dismissed Leavitt, at least nine resumes/applications were e-mailed to USF officials either directly from coaches or their agents. The materials were obtained Tuesday by The Tampa Tribune as part of a public records request.

The list of applicants painted a broad stroke across the coaching landscape: Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster, New York Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride, Harvard head coach Tim Murphy, Syracuse special teams coach Tim Casullo, former NFL assistant Jack Burns, former Tennessee State head coach James Webster, Bucs assistant coach Rich Bisaccia and Louisiana Storm (semi-pro) assistant head coach Tyrone Hughes, a former player with the New Orleans Saints, all expressed interest the first afternoon the job opened.

The most off-beat applicant: Michael Moore, a high school student in Texas who has no coaching experience but decided to e-mail university officials about the job.

Many of the application packages contained specific plans for the job, including an impressive submission from Michigan offensive coordinator Calvin Magee that included USF logos and very specific details about the job. Magee, a former USF assistant under Leavitt, interviewed for the job and was considered a strong candidate.

Other coaches to submit application materials: former NFL All-Pro receiver Mel Gray, now freshman head coach at Auburn High in Rockford, Ill.; Orlando Jones High head coach Kenard Lang; former Virginia offensive coordinator Gregg Brandon; Southern Mississippi coach Larry Fedora, whose name surfaced as a leading candidate early in USF's search; Rutgers offensive coordinator Kyle Flood; Joe Maglia, a football consultant at Nebraska and former Ameritrade CEO; Oklahoma offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson and Nebraska offensive coordinator Shaun Watson.

Former USF defensive coordinator Joe Tresey officially applied, and Florida assistant Dan McCarney's agent sent a package on his behalf. Finally, former University of Louisiana-Monroe head coach Charlie Weatherbie also contacted USF officials about the opening.

Not every candidate sent USF officials material highlighting his coaching career.

Bucs player personnel director Doug Williams interviewed for the job and former Tennessee coach Phil Fulmer, among others, expressed indirect interest in the position before USF hired Holtz as the second coach in school history.