K-State's Snyder: Jim Leavitt turned down offseason job offer

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) Kansas State coach Bill Snyder says he offered Jim Leavitt a spot on his staff last offseason but the former South Florida coach took the defensive coordinator job at Oregon.

A report surfaced last week claiming Snyder had ''nixed'' a plan for Leavitt to take a coach-in-waiting role with the Wildcats. The school stayed mum following the report, but Snyder shed a bit more light on the situation during the Big 12's weekly teleconference Monday.

Snyder had an opening after linebackers coach Mike Cox left, so Snyder reached out to Leavitt to gauge his interest. Leavitt was an assistant for him at Kansas State in the early 1990s.

Snyder said he didn't have a coordinator spot open, so Leavitt turned down the offer.