College Football | South Florida coach Jim Leavitt denies report that he struck a player in the face

TAMPA, Fla. — University of South Florida officials plan to look into a report that coach Jim Leavitt struck one of his players in the face during halftime of a game last month.

Citing the player's father, high-school coach and five South Florida players who were not identified, AOL FanHouse reported Monday that Leavitt grabbed Joel Miller by the throat and hit him in the face twice because he was upset about a mistake the sophomore walk-on made on special teams.

FanHouse said the incident occurred at halftime of the Bulls' 34-22 victory over visiting Louisville on Nov. 21.

"The University of South Florida is aware of the story and will review the matter promptly," said Michael Hoad, USF vice president of communications, in a statement released by the school. "We're committed to ensuring due process for everyone involved. To ensure fairness, the university doesn't comment during a review."

Leavitt, 53, the only football coach in school history, told the St. Petersburg Times the accusations in AOL FanHouse are false.

"I'm appalled at it. It's absolutely not true," Leavitt told the newspaper. "It's so far out there. I'm very disappointed something like this would be written."

The player's father, Paul Miller, told FanHouse: "You do something like that [on the street] you put them in jail. Somewhere [Leavitt] crossed the line."

Paul Miller backtracked on his comments when contacted by the St. Petersburg Times.

"He grabbed his shoulder pad, but it was like a motivational thing," the father said of Leavitt's actions. "After talking with Joel, he was satisfied there was not a slap, not at all."

Notes

• Turner Gill, a former Nebraska quarterback who was Buffalo's coach, was introduced as Kansas' coach at a packed news conference.

"I've been asked if I'm taking this job to get to another program. The answer to that is a very decisive 'no,' " the 47-year-old Gill said. "I'm not coming here to use it as a steppingstone to a football dynasty, but rather to create a football dynasty here at KU."

Gill succeeds Mark Mangino, who resigned under pressure after an internal investigation into allegations of mistreatment of players.

• Jimbo Fisher, who will take over for Florida State coach Bobby Bowden after the Jan. 1 Gator Bowl against West Virginia, had a news conference and said he wants intelligence in his players. Fisher addressed an ESPN report some recent FSU players had IQs as low as 60 and read at a second- or third-grade level, if at all.

"Why would I want a guy who's not going to be good in the classroom, because I've got to teach him the same things on the field," the 44-year-old Fisher said. "Today's football's a different animal. You can't play with guys who can't learn."

• Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor, a sophomore, was not allowed to speak with reporters during the Buckeyes' media day for their Jan. 1 Rose Bowl game against Oregon. Ohio State coach Jim Tressel prefers to shield underclassmen from the media.

Asked about Pryor, Tressel said, "I sense he wants to leave on a higher note, just like our team does. ... The reality that sophomores have is, they look at this game as kind of like the midpoint of their career."

• South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier, 64, has been given a one-year contract extension, taking him through 2013.

• Fresno State coach Pat Hill, 57, will get an extension to stay beyond the 2010 season; details are being worked out.