College football won’t quite be the same anymore. One of the sport’s largest characters, Mississippi State head coach Mike Leach has died at the age of 61, the school announced on social media on Tuesday. Leach was flown to the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson on Monday with a health emergency. Leach finally succumbed to complications of a heart condition on Monday night. He is survived by his wife Sharon and his four children, Janeen, Kimberly, Cody and Kiersten.
A legend on and off the field
Mike Leach will be remembered for being more than a football coach. It was mainly his quirky off-the-field antics that made him so dearly beloved by the college football community. On Monday night, Leach died at the age of 61, Mississippi State Football announced.
“Mississippi State University Head Football Coach Michael Charles “Mike” Leach passed away last night (Monday, Dec. 12) at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, Mississippi, following complications from a heart condition,” the university said in a statement.
“Mike was a giving and attentive husband, father and grandfather,” a statement from Leach’s family read. “He was able to participate in organ donation at UMMC as a final act of charity. We are supported and uplifted by the outpouring of love and prayers from family, friends, Mississippi State University, the hospital staff, and football fans around the world. Thank you for sharing in the joy of our beloved husband and father’s life.”
MSU Bulldog family, college football community mourns the death of Coach Mike Leachhttps://t.co/LzWyLyX3xM
— Mississippi State Football (@HailStateFB) December 13, 2022
Whether it was his appearance in Friday Night Lights and his talk of the ‘inner pirate’, or his rant about weddings, or his deciphering of a mascot rumble, everybody has a favorite Mike Leach moment. However, Leach was also a great football mind.
Leach took an early version of the ‘Air Raid’ offense and adapted it to such a point that it is now widely used in college football and the NFL alike.
Coaching career
Mike Leach never played the game of football at a high level. He played rugby for BYU in college and earned a law degree. But he eventually decided it was a football life for him and in 1987 he became the offensive line coach at Cal Poly.
He worked his way up before eventually landing his first head coaching gig at Texas Tech in 2000. Leach never had a losing season with the Red Raiders and managed to make it to a bowl game every year. He finished his time at Texas Tech with a record of 84-43.
In 2012, Leach was hired by the Washingon State Cougars. His version of the ‘Air Raid’ offense was once again successful and he went 55-47 with the school before heading to Mississippi State in 2020. In his three seasons with the SEC team, Leach went 19-17 giving him a winning record at every school where he was the head coach.
“Coach Mike Leach cast a tremendous shadow not just over Mississippi State University, but over the entire college football landscape,” Mississippi State president, Mark E. Keenum said. “His innovative “Air Raid” offense changed the game. Mike’s keen intellect and unvarnished candor made him one of the nation’s true coaching legends. His passing brings great sadness to our university, to the Southeastern Conference, and to all who loved college football. I will miss Mike’s profound curiosity, his honesty, and his wide-open approach to pursuing excellence in all things.”
Leach won the 2008 Big 12 Coach of the Year, 2015 Pac-12 Coach of the Year and 2018 Pac-12 Coach of the Year during his career.
Classic Leach
It was likely his off-the-field personality and quirky antics that endeared him to fans around the country.
Leach was a huge fan of pirates and in a nod to that, he appeared in an episode of Friday Night Lights where he tells a coach to “swing your sword” and “find your inner pirate.”
“A lot of times things just happen for a reason. We don’t know why God wants it that way. But you can’t make the best out of it until you get back your inner pirate.”
Rest in peace, Mike Leach 🏴☠️ pic.twitter.com/LmqsgrWmIZ
— Tyler Horka (@tbhorka) December 13, 2022
Several of his press conferences and interviews included some of the best all-time rants and answers that can only be described as ‘Classic Leach’. We will leave you with a few of our favorites as we say RIP, Pirate.
Mike Leach on weddings:
Mike Leach's advice on dealing with weddings will live on forever. pic.twitter.com/50npwso0jR
— The Sporting Tribune (@SportingTrib) December 13, 2022
Mike Leach on who would win a Pac-12 mascot brawl:
One of my favorite Mike Leach soundbites is when he broke down a battle between Pac-12 mascots.
Mike Leach was unique and one of a kind. RIP 🕊
(Via @Alyssacharlston) pic.twitter.com/daXuVocSwk
— Justin Spears (@JustinESports) December 13, 2022
“Dinosaur hands” by Mike Leach:
Mike Leach's dinosaur hands press conference will forever be iconic.
RIP Pirate pic.twitter.com/l2KK03gO9U
— Karisa Maxwell (@KarisaMaxwell) December 13, 2022
Mike Leach on coffee:
The best Mike Leach moment pic.twitter.com/EPC7BHaYYQ
— Ben McDonald (@Bmac0507) December 12, 2022
“Fat little girlfriends” by Mike Leach:
Damn. RIP Mike Leach. His “fat little girlfriends” rant is my favorite media coach rant ever pic.twitter.com/g8zqV5WBut
— Gary, PhD (@GooseDrops) December 13, 2022
Coach Leach on Trevor’s wedding plans:
RIP Coach Mike Leach. His interviews were performance art and will be missed pic.twitter.com/8A5uGWefI7
— Brian Moote (@MootePoints) December 13, 2022
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