FSU football: Fans react to Jim Leavitt hiring as an analyst

FSU football needs help on the defensive side of the ball. FSU fans react to Willie Taggart’s former defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt being hired as an analyst.

FSU football will have some much-needed defensive help moving forward as Jim Leavitt has reportedly been hired as an analyst.

If the name rings a bell it’s because he’s Willie Taggart’s former defensive coordinator the lone year he was the head coach at Oregon.

Leavitt was heavily rumored to coming with Taggart to FSU as the defensive coordinator, but that didn’t come to fruition with Leavitt ultimately staying at Oregon.

However, he was let go of his duties at Oregon in February and spent some time in Tallahassee this summer attending practices helping with FSU’s move to become more multiple with implementation of a 3-4 defense.

Leavitt visited other places as well as he was looking to return to coaching.

Fan Reaction

Thoughts

I’ll be the first to say I was not for Jim Leavitt becoming the defensive coordinator as part of Willie Taggart’s initial coaching staff like many others.

READ: Why Jim Leavitt Staying at Oregon Is Good For FSU

However, with the regression of the defense from last year it’s apparent they need all the help they can get. That’s especially the case with them trying to run more 3-4 defense which is something Harlon Barnett doesn’t specialize in.

The 3-4 defense is what Leavitt knows and he’s an excellent linebackers coach. Of course, the linebackers have been a problem area for the Noles the last few years. They’ve been able to land talent, but the development of said talent has been lacking since forever.

Leavitt also has head coaching experience and the familiarity of working with Willie Taggart in the past can’t hurt.

The move  could potentially be foreshadowing of things to come in terms of staff moves too. If the defense begins to improve most folk will likely point to the addition of Leavitt as the reason.

If it continues to look terrible, that’s all the reason to move Leavitt into the defensive coordinator position since he’s experienced and Taggart originally wanted him to come to FSU with him from Oregon.