Former USF football coach Jim Leavitt arrested on multiple serious charges in Florida

Former USF Bulls head coach Jim Leavitt has reportedly been arrested in a Florida apartment complex near Tampa. There, he faces multiple serious charges, including felony grand theft and two counts of battery.

Leavitt has been accused of grabbing his ex-girlfriend by the arm and taking her Louis Vuitton purse, clutch, and wallet. The police involved are also accusing him of pushing a man at the apartment complex where he was arrested.

Jim Leavitt coached at USF from 1997 to 2009. He had initially been hired by USF to be the first head coach of the football program in 1995. During that time, he oversaw the program’s rise from Division I-AA, now known as FCS, to the I-A, now known as FBS. The program would make it to the Big East under Leavitt as well. During that time, he had a record of 95-57 and took the Bulls to five bowl games. At one point, he had USF ranked second in the AP Poll before a frustrating three-game losing streak. That, to this day, is the highest the Bulls have managed to get ranked.

In 2010, Leavitt was fired by USF. That came after an investigation showed he had struck a player in the locker room during a game. School officials claimed he was untruthful and interfered with their investigation at the time. Ultimately, Leavitt would sue the school, which was settled a year later for $2.75 million. However, it did create tensions between the two sides moving forward.

Despite his firing, Jim Leavitt remains an important figure in USF football history. In 2025, it was announced that he would be inducted into the USF Athletics Hall of Fame. Notably, the administration at the school and within the athletic department has turned over since his firing. At the time, current athletic director Michael Kelly emphasized history when discussing the Class of 2025.

“The class of 2025 is a powerful reflection of the excellence, tradition and growth that define USF Athletics,” athletic director Michael Kelly said in the school’s statement. “This group represents some of the most impactful figures in our history — individuals who elevated their programs, inspired our community, and helped propel USF Athletics to new heights.”

Prior to USF, Leavitt had been an assistant coach at multiple stops, including Missouri and Kansas State. After leaving USF, he spent some time in the NFL as a linebackers coach. Then, in 2015, he returned to college with Colorado, Oregon, Florida State, FAU, and finally SMU. 2021, when he was the defensive coordinator at SMU, was his final season coaching.