Jim Leavitt Comments at Media Luncheon

[Brad]

Courtesy USF

Jim Leavitt Comments at Media Luncheon

USF Media Luncheon

October 2, 2007

BIG EAST Room

USF vs. FAU

Head Coach – Jim Leavitt

On West Virginia game –

"It was a good win against West Virginia. I thought our guys played hard and did a lot of good things. West Virginia is an outstanding football team. They're awfully good at offense, defense and special teams, so we had to really play well in all three areas. "

On FAU –

"I have a great respect for Coach Schnellenberger, one of the great coaches of this game of football – we all know that. The things that he has done in his life, in his tenure, in his career, are remarkable, and he has an awfully good football team. They're very talented."

"I'm impressed with their quarterback. He is very precise, moves well has a tremendous arm. It’s going to be a great challenge."

"This is a very good football team, and it's going to be a very difficult challenge for us, as all of them have been. It has been difficult the last couple of weeks and our players will have to play at a very high level this Saturday."

On Ben Moffitt –

"He's a good leader, works hard. He has played a lot of football, started as a freshman, and understands our defense. He's gifted. The Lord has given him some talent. He's a good football player."

On last Saturday's upsets –

"Everybody's good, and you have got to play your best game, or you certainly have a chance to lose. You have got to play that good in every way. That’s why coaches say they don’t get ahead of themselves that much. As for us, we realize we just started and we're good enough to beat four teams and that’s it. We are 1-0 in the BIG EAST. It's a wide-open race."

On road games-

"Every road game is different, every venue is different. We're on the road this week. We're going to go down and play in Lockhart (FAU Stadium) and hopefully play the game of our lives, and that’s what it's going to take."

On why so much success against Auburn, UNC, West Virginia -

"I think it's about players that listen to their coaches and play as a team. Our guys have got to make plays, and play with great effort."

On enjoying success -

"I think it's important to understand that every day is pretty valuable, and you need to appreciate every day because you don’t know how many days you always have. I embrace that, but in the same way I understand how good every coach on every staff is and how hard they work. I understand the talent level of everybody we play, and I understand they're working pretty hard. Losing and winning a game, everybody is pretty even."

On recruiting -

"It helps in winning games, it helps seeing the stadium full, I think it helps. Recruits want to go where they receive a great education, do well academically, and certainly play great football and win, but your education is important, and that’s what we push."

On the blue print of the program -

"I don’t have specifics. I just felt like this university and this program could be an awfully competitive team. Our number one goal is a BIG EAST Championship and we haven’t achieved it. It's always going to be our focus as long as I'm still here."

On the success of the program –

"It took a lot of prayer, a lot of prayer."

[bullwark]

This is why I love CJL,

On road games-

"Every road game is different, every venue is different. We're on the road this week. We're going to go down and play in Lockhart (FAU Stadium) and hopefully play the game of our lives, and that’s what it's going to take."

[Orlando Bull]

I can't believe he said the words..."awfully good football team"

Shocking.

[smazza]

I can't believe he said the words..."awfully good football team"

Shocking.

he says that about every team

[VeryBullish]

You must've just started following USF Football (which is fine). Coach respects every opponent we face. That's how it should be...especially in 07. Need a reminder? App State over Mich in 07 or Northern Colorado over Colorado in 06.

[Guest Melissa]

I can't believe he said the words..."awfully good football team"

Shocking.

What is so shocking about that statement??? Statements like that are one of the many reasons why Leavitt is such a GREAT coach. When the coach shows respect for every opponent it doesn't give the players any room to take anything for granted. We need to treat every game like we are playing the number 1 team in the country... no matter how great or how small they actually are.

[FAUFB]

I can't believe he said the words..."awfully good football team"

Shocking.

I know, I hope he passes the way you feel about FAU, on to the team.

[ChiTownBull]

Relax people I think isensed just a bit of sarcasm in orlando bulls reply

[FAUFB]

Relax people I think isensed just a bit of sarcasm in orlando bulls reply

Like the sarcasm you missed in my reply? ;D