South Florida Brags with a Billboard, All Signs Say Coach Jim Leavitt Is Irked

The University of South Florida is bragging and football coach Jim Leavitt doesn't like it one bit.

USF's marketing people decided that they'd do some boasting while the Bulls prepare for their monster game with powerhouse Cincinnati next Thursday by throwing up a little billboard at a major Tampa interstate location.

Still giddy about the 17-7 win over Florida State, the billboard sends a statement by USF welcoming itself into what it declares as the state of Florida's "Big Four."

That's an expansion of the traditional "Big Three." The Big Three have all won multiple national championships. USF is still looking for a Big East title and Leavitt knows it.

The billboard hit a nerve with Leavitt and he pounced on those responsible for the billboard.

"Let other people talk about that over coffee. That's not me," he said.

Leavitt is in the midst of preparing for the showdown of Big East unbeatens on ESPN: Bearcats vs. Bulls at Raymond James Stadium under the Thursday night lights and under national scrutiny.

Leavitt wasn't into the school bragging about the FSU win.

"I don't want anyone to ever think here I'm the guy having anything to do with that. That bothers me. I don't want people to sit there and think we're all that—because we're not. We're a program that's trying to get competitive. We're a program trying to build."

While Leavitt cools off, his team has been working on the Cincinnati game plan.

The Bulls had Thursday and Friday off and resume practice on Saturday.

Both teams are 5-0. USF has been in this exact position before and fell apart as the season progressed.

Leavitt's been in a bad mood about that for two years. And the billboard didn't help.