Sorry, USF fans, but Dungy isn't going to coach the Bulls

He has made it official: Tony Dungy won't be calling Raymond James Stadium home again any time soon.

Since USF football coach Jim Leavitt was fired Friday, Bulls fans have clamored on Internet message boards and sports-talk radio for the former Bucs coach to come out of his retirement to coach USF.

Dungy spoke to the USF team on Monday during the team's first group meeting since Leavitt's dismissal.

Did USF officials ask him to consider taking over the program?

"In a roundabout way,'' Dungy chuckled. What did he say? "I have a job I enjoy and that's where I am right now. I'm out of the coaching business at this point.''

Sorry, USF fans.

However, Dungy offered guidance for a team struggling to adjust after the firing of Leavitt, the only coach in the program's 13-year history.

"That's a traumatic time,'' he said. "You're a young person and the coach that you are playing for is no longer there. I just wanted to talk to some of those guys about what it means to continue to strive and continue to work for your goals, and stay together as a team and how they are going to have to stick together until they get a another coach.

"It was a good time. Hopefully it helped.''

Dungy was here Tuesday to speak at the American Football Coaches Association's annual convention and to receive the organization's lifetime achievement award for service to others, the first professional coach the AFCA has bestowed that honor upon.

"It's hard to believe. You dream about things and getting to Super Bowls and things like that. Some things you things you can't even dream about. An award like this - a lifetime achievement, distinguished service ... I just found out a few minutes ago that a professional coach has not won this before,'' Dungy said. "I'm really honored and appreciative of the AFCA and all they do. I'm just kind of really humbled by this award.''