Colorado defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt is joining new head coach Willie Taggarts staff at Oregon, Buffaloes head coach Mike MacIntyre confirmed Thursday.FoxSports.com first reported Wednesday that Leavitt, a former head coach at South Florida like Taggart, would be the Ducks defensive coordinator. Oregon did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday.Jim and our defensive staff did an excellent job with our defense the last two years. Jim brought a lot of expertise and energy to our defense, MacIntyre said in a statement. I wish him the best in his move to the University of Oregon and thank him for all the hard work, time and energy he gave to the Colorado Buffaloes,Leavitt has spent the past two seasons with the Buffaloes. This season, Colorado is ranked 17th nationally for total defense, allowing an average of 328.3 yards per game, and 18th for scoring defense, allowing 20.5 points per game.The No. 11 Buffaloes (10-3) will play Oklahoma State in the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 29. It is Colorados first bowl game since 2007.Leavitt tweeted on Wednesday evening: I love CU, players, Boulder and all alum! Been great to me! Couldnt pass up opportunity for family! South Champs! Been a great ride!!Leavitt also spent four seasons with the San Francisco 49ers under coach Jim Harbaugh. Leavitt was the first head coach at South Florida, from 1997-2009.Taggart, who spent the past four seasons at South Florida, was hired last week to take over the Ducks following a disappointing 4-8 season and the dismissal of coach Mark Helfrich.Taggart and Leavitt share a connection in Harbaugh. As a player, Taggart was recruited to Western Kentucky by Harbaugh, whose father Jack was coach of the Hilltoppers. Taggart was later an assistant under Harbaugh at Stanford.Leavitt will have his work cut out for him at Oregon. Former Michigan coach Brady Hoke attempted to install a new 4-3 defensive scheme and the Ducks finished the season ranked 126th out of the 128 FBS-level teams for total defense, allowing opponents an average of 528.4 yards per game. Oregon allowed an average of 41.4 points per game, ranked 125th nationally.When Oregon President Michael Schill introduced Taggart at a news conference last Thursday, he said his only advice to the new coach was to go find a great defensive coordinator.---More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25Jim Lee Hunt Jersey . Aduriz headed home Markel Susaetas cross in the sixth minute to open the scoring at San Mames Stadium. He bettered that with a long-range blast that went in off the goal frame in the 18th, and converted a penalty in the 72nd after Diego Mainz was sent off for fouling Aduriz with only the goalkeeper to beat. Corey Dillon Jersey . Oaklands loss to Seattle clinched the ALs best record for the Red Sox with one day to spare in the regular season. "I think everybody was kind of watching," catcher David Ross said. "Demp (Ryan Dempster) came out before he went to the bullpen and was just yelling that they lost. https://www.patriotsjerseysale.com/1941p-bruce-armstrong-jersey-patriots.html . Hargreaves began his career in 2008 with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and has played with the Edmonton Eskimos and last season with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Mike Haynes Jersey . -- Derrick Rose shook off poor shooting early to hit clutch shots late and Carlos Boozer had 20 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 104-95 preseason victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night. New England Patriots Gear . -- Jimmy Walkers first PGA Tour trophy came with a special gift tucked inside.CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- A year ago, a 48-14 win over Illinois got North Carolina going and propelled the Tar Heels on a run to the ACC championship game and a bowl.Coming off a 33-24 season-opening loss to Georgia that knocked them out of the Top 25, the Tar Heels could use a repeat performance Saturday when they travel to Illinois.It would be a confidence booster, receiver Ryan Switzer said. The 2016 team hasnt won a game yet. Were going into a Power Five team who had a good showing in week one, whos got new energy and a new staff, and a night game at their own place.The Illini are one big win into the tenure of new coach Lovie Smith. That 52-3 victory over Football Championship Subdivision school Murray State was nice, Smith said, but Saturdays game is a bigger deal.I dont know how North Carolinas looking at the game -- the way the beat us up last year, you know, he said. But for us, its a big game, and a true measuring stick to see where we are.Things to watch for Saturday when North Carolina visits the Illini:DEFENSIVE FRONTNorth Carolina gashed the Illini for 254 yards last year, 130 of them by then-sophomore tailback Elijah Hood. But the Illinois defensive line lived up to its billing in this seasons opener as the strength of the team, holding Murray State to minus-10 yards rushing and sacking Racers quarterbacks six times. Holding Hood in check might mean the Illini will see more of quarterback Mitch Trubisky, who produced just 156 yards on 24-of-40 passing against Georgia and threw more than Tar Heel coach Larry Fedora intended.When you start to get behind the chains the whole time, and youre in long yardage situations, its tough to sit in there and say were going to run the football. Ive never done that, Fedora said.HOODS WORKLOADHood was one of the ACCs top runners with 1,463 yards and 17 touchdowns last year, but he ggot just 10 carries for 72 yards against Georgia while UNC threw 40 passes.dddddddddddd Hood is a tackler-punishing runner with the ability to wear down defenses. Getting him going on the road would be a big help.GOING DEEPThe Tar Heels like to take deep shots in their fast-paced offense, but Trubisky failed to connect on a couple that could have changed the Georgia game. When the Tar Heels offense is humming, theyre churning out big yardage totals and pushing the tempo to wear down defenses. Fedora was pleased Trubisky protected the ball in his first start, but said he needed to do a better job with his footwork on those long balls.The offense will work, just do what youre taught to do, Fedora said. And I think he was trying to do too much.STOP THE RUNUNC came into the year knowing it would have to improve its run defense, but it didnt happen against the Bulldogs and Nick Chubb. Georgia ran for 289 yards in the opener, and the Tar Heels have now surrendered 1,561 yards on the ground in the last four games dating to last season. UNC has to reverse that trend soon.ILLINOIS ON THE GROUNDThe run game the Tar Heels will be trying to stop churned out 287 yards and four touchdowns against an overmatched Murray State defense. But only 49 of those yards belonged to starting tailback KeShawn Vaughn. Illinois stuck with Vaughn, giving him 17 carries in a game it had in hand early. A more productive Vaughn will help pound the North Carolina defense and keep the Tar Heel offense off the field.---AP Sports Writer Aaron Beard in Chapel Hill, North Carolina contributed to this report.---Follow David Mercer on Twitter: (at)davidmercerAP---Online: Associated Press college football coverage: collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '