Report: Florida State to hire former South Florida HC Jim Leavitt

Willie Taggart and the Florida State Seminoles need all of the help they can get after a sluggish 1-1 start to the season.

Florida state lost to Boise State in its season opener and barely eked by Louisiana-Monroe by the score of 45-44 last week.

It’s in this that the Seminoles are turning to a familiar face in hopes of turning things around. Reports indicate that Florida State is hiring former South Florida head coach Jim Leavitt to help with the team’s defense.

SOURCE: #FSU is hiring Jim Leavitt as an analyst. He is expected to help DC Harlon Barnett by bringing another experienced voice in the def. staff room to aid w/ game-planning. Leavitt was Willie Taggart’s DC when he took an Oregon D that ranked No. 115 and improved it to No. 32.
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) September 11, 2019

Leavitt acted as Taggart’s defensive coordinator with Oregon back in 2017. Prior to that, he served in the same role with the Colorado Buffaloes in 2015-16.

Despite a stint with the San Francisco 49ers in the NFL, Leavitt is best known for leading South Florida to a 95-57 record in 13 seasons. That included five consecutive bowl games to end his tenure with the program.