SMU has found its defensive coordinator.

According to Yahoo! Sports' Pete Thamel, SMU head coach Sonny Dykes has chosen Florida Atlantic defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt as the new defensive coordinator for the Mustangs.

Leavitt will replace Kevin Kane, who left to take a position in the Big Ten Conference at Illinois under Bret Bielema.

Leavitt, 64, has nearly 40 years of coaching experience and was FAU's defensive coordinator for the 2020 season. The Owls were a national top-10 team in scoring defense, allowing only 17.4 points per contest in nine games.

Prior to the one year at FAU, Leavitt was a defensive analyst at Florida State. He was later promoted to an on-field defensive line coach.

Leavitt was the head coach at South Florida from 1997-2009, compiling a 95-57 record in the 13-season span. He also coached in the NFL for the San Francisco 49ers from 2011-24, serving as the linebackers coach.