Leavitt, USF alumni in spotlight at NFC championship

It's the NFC championship game angle everyone's talking about on Fowler Avenue.

On one side, there are two former University of South Florida players filling prominent roles for the New York Giants — Pro Bowl defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul and high-energy linebacker Jacquian Williams. What's more, they played for the same junior college.

On the other side, Jim Leavitt, founding father of the Bulls' program, is linebackers coach for the San Francisco 49ers.

Regardless of who wins Sunday's game at Candlestick Park, USF football will be a story at Super Bowl XLVI.

"Can you believe it?'' said current Bulls linebacker Sam Barrington during a break from his offseason workouts. "This is what a great football game is all about. A little part of all of us will be on that field. It adds a whole lot of emotion for me. I'll be watching every second."

So what's your favorite theme?

• Leavitt's redemption? He was fired in January 2010 after an investigation concluded he struck a player in the face during halftime of a game, then lied about it and interfered with USF's probe. He denied the charges. After reaching a $2.75 million settlement with USF to end his wrongful termination lawsuit, Leavitt joined Jim Harbaugh's staff with the 49ers. Leavitt's name has circulated as a candidate for college head-coaching and coordinator jobs.

• Pierre-Paul's sudden stardom? After reluctantly picking up football as a high-school senior, playing for two junior colleges and spending just one season at USF, he was the 15th player selected in the 2010 NFL draft. He became a second-year dynamo, registering 16.5 sacks during the regular season.

• Williams' emergence? As a sixth-round pick last spring, he was perceived as a special-teams player — at best. But he quickly assumed an important role. He was the team's sixth-leading tackler. Coaches beam about his future.

"Those two guys and coach Leavitt in the same game, that definitely makes it entertaining,'' former Bulls offensive lineman Jeremiah Warren said. "They all have a story to tell, don't they?''

So does USF assistant coach Kevin Patrick.

In 2008, with Patrick beginning his second stint on the USF staff after working in private business, he was regularly dispatched to Fort Scott Community College, about 90 minutes outside of Kansas City. Once, he was caught in a snowstorm. Another time, the temperature dropped radically and he learned that tornadoes were entering the area.

"I got the rental car and drove out of there as fast as I could,'' said Patrick, laughing. "It's pretty slow around Fort Scott. Not much to do. But I had a reason to be there.''

Two reasons, actually.

Patrick's story — and its rapid timeline — seems so outrageous. At Fort Scott, where the Greyhounds had to share indoor practice space with the school's rodeo team, it might be easy for a visiting recruiter to wonder why he's really there.

One look at Pierre-Paul — known as JPP — and all questions evaporated.

"We're all built on those first impressions, what somebody says, how somebody looks," Patrick said. "When you see a young man like that standing in the hallway, the way he's built, how big he actually is (6-foot-5, 270), how long he is, it takes your breath away.

"I saw it pretty quick. His ceiling was higher than anybody I had ever heard of. If he had stayed for his senior year, I think he would've won the Outland Trophy. Once he got settled, I knew he'd have a year like this. With that body, he can do just about anything he wants.''

Once Pierre-Paul arrived on USF's campus, jaws dropped.

"The first time I saw him, our strength coach had him running across the field and he was running like a defensive back, like he wasn't even tired,'' Barrington said. "When I saw his talent, size and work ethic, I got really, really excited he was on my team. His talent kind of overshadows everything.''

Williams relates well to life in the shadows.

He was the 202nd overall player selected in last season's draft. While Giants coach Tom Coughlin and staff did their due diligence on Pierre-Paul a year earlier, they also noticed Williams, known for his tenacity, open-field running ability and sincerity.

"We'd be working into the late night as coaches, talking about things, and Jacquian would be right there with us, listening, taking notes, asking questions,'' Patrick said. "I think the Giants saw that. They did their homework and now they are rewarded.''

Earlier this season, Giants safety Deon Grant said Williams was playing like a first-rounder. Fellow linebacker Michael Boley described Williams as a "different cat.''

"Jacquian was never a guy in the newspaper or on ESPN,'' Barrington said. "But his work ethic is through the roof. The way he plays football, that's the way he lives his life.

"I just think the whole thing reflects well on USF football. We're all going to see the benefits of this. This is the biggest stage there is in football, and our program will get put on the map. Those guys walked in our shoes.''

Patrick chuckled when he recalled part of his recruiting pitch to Pierre-Paul and Williams.

"I told them, 'You guys both come with us and you'll do great together. Who knows? Maybe you'll play together in the NFL, too,' " Patrick said. "I guess some things are just meant to happen.''