Oregon will reportedly hire Colorado defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt as its new defensive coordinator, Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports reported Wednesday afternoon.
Feldman said Leavitt will sign a four-year deal with the Ducks. Feldman also reported that Leavitt will become the highest paid defensive coordinator in Pac-12 history. The move is the first addition to head coach Willie Taggart’s staff.
Colorado ranked 18th nationally in points allowed at 20.5 points a game. The Buffs ranked second in the Pac-12 in total defense but first in pass defense at 182.5 yards a game. Oregon finished 126th in points allowed at 41.4 a game under Brady Hoke.

BREAKING #CU defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt is going to #Oregon as the Ducks new DC gets a 4-year deal, source tells @FoxSports.
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) December 14, 2016

Leavitt joined the Colorado staff in February 2015 before spending three seasons as linebackers coach with the San Francisco 49ers in the NFL. Leavitt served as the head coach at South Florida from 1997 until 2009, going 95-57. He was fired after USF investigated him for hitting a player in the locker room.
Leavitt also worked under Jim Harbaugh, one of Taggart’s close mentors. During Taggart’s opening press conference last week, he said he wants his new defense to play tough.

“I just want a really good defense,” Taggart said. “I don’t care how it looks. I want it to be really good and stop people from scoring touchdowns.”

UO President Michael Schill had a piece of advice for Taggart’s defensive search last week.

“Go find a great defensive coordinator,” Schill said.
Earlier reports had linked Oregon with Charlie Strong, who took the head coaching job at South Florida.
Follow Jonathan Hawthorne on Twitter @Jon_Hawthorne