Football fans in Tampa are used to a scowling, face-contorting display of emotion on the sidelines, but Bucs coach Jon Gruden would be hard-pressed to keep up the facial frustration shown by USF coach Jim Leavitt through much of Thursday's loss to Rutgers.

"I don't know whose face is more crazy," receiver Amarri Jackson said. "Coach Gruden looks like Chucky, but I think Coach Leavitt looks like Freddy Krueger. At least Coach Leavitt will talk. I've seen Coach Gruden ball his face up and then he doesn't say anything."

Leavitt, questioned about criticism that his behavior on the sidelines went too far, was asked how he would describe his conduct during the game.

"Probably calm, with what I was really feeling inside," Leavitt said. "I'm a little bit surprised I was able to handle myself as well as I did. I'm an emotional guy. I'm not a guy that's going to be there and not react. ... I know sometimes it might not look real charming, but I'm going to battle for our players, and when I see things that I think are clearly ... I'm going to react, usually not as much, but it had built through three calls. I was at a point where I had had enough. ... There was more in me than that."

Leavitt said he's gotten some e-mails saying "watch your behavior" but also had many that liked the way he fought for his players.

"I wanted to make clear I wasn't real happy. ... You always want to be appropriate, I understand that about the national audience, all those types of things," Leavitt said. "I can't change who I am. I don't think you'll see that very often. There will be some people in the country that will be disappointed, but in 11 years, believe me, I've had people that are disappointed. I've made other mistakes. ... You just move forward and doing the things you think are right."