2. Jim Leavitt is a top-five defensive coordinator
Jim Leavitt was rumored to take over for Bill Snyder at Kansas State but a strange coach-blocking happened and the defensive coordinator looks like he’s remaining at Oregon. He built the USF Bulls from scratch and guided them up to a second overall ranking in 2007, before coming back down to reality with a 9-4 final record that season. Here is a quote from an SB Nation article on the Leavitt issues:
"Last week, it was reported that current Oregon defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt reached a “verbal agreement” to become Kansas State’s coach-in-waiting and eventual successor to Bill Snyder, according to Brett McMurphy last Thursday. McMurphy said Snyder had the deal scrapped because he wanted his son, K-State associate head coach Sean, to get the job instead."
The Ducks’ defensive coordinator was accused of hitting a player and was fired at USF in 2009. He was hired by the San Francisco 49ers as an assistant coach in 2011, and then returned to college football to coach the Colorado Buffaloes’ defense in 2015. Leavitt immediately fixed the Buffaloes’ defense, ranked No. 12 per the S&P+.
Colorado collapsed down to 98th in defense per the S&P+ this season without Leavitt, and the Ducks rose from 119th to 58th. He’s obviously a great defensive coach and did amazing work with the Bulls before his firing.
If Leavitt was to get a head coaching job it would be well understood why. However, much like Greg Schiano, past issues could block him from being put in complete charge again.