Former University of South Florida football coach Jim Leavitt, recently inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame, is facing legal troubles after being charged with theft and battery in connection with an alleged altercation with his ex-girlfriend. According to police records, Leavitt, 68, was arrested on Monday and accused of grabbing the woman by her arm as she tried to walk away and taking her Louis Vuitton purse, clutch, and wallet, which were valued at over $5,000. He was released from jail the following day, according to online records from the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office.
Leavitt had a stellar coaching career at USF, where he became the school’s first football coach when the program debuted in 1997. After 13 seasons, he remains the winningest coach in program history with a 95-57 record, including leading the Bulls to a No. 2 national ranking in 2007 and overseeing five consecutive bowl appearances from 2005 to 2009, winning three of them. However, his tenure as head coach came to an end in 2010 after an investigation found he had struck a player during halftime of a game the previous fall.
Following his dismissal from USF, Leavitt went on to have a successful but brief career in the NFL, serving as a linebackers coach for the San Francisco 49ers from 2011 to 2014. During his time with the team, the 49ers reached an NFC Championship and a Super Bowl appearance. He later returned to college football, working as a defensive coordinator at Colorado, Oregon, Florida Atlantic University, and, most recently, at Southern Methodist University in 2021.
Despite his achievements, Leavitt has faced legal challenges in recent years. His attorney, Lucas Fleming, stated that the altercation with his ex-girlfriend was a