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File:LeachMike092212-18 (cropped).JPG Leach in 2012 | |
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born |
March 9, 1961 Susanville, California, U.S. |
| Died |
December 12, 2022 (aged 61) Jackson, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| Rugby | |
| 1979–1983 | BYU |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1987 | Cal Poly Mustangs (OL) |
| 1988 | Desert Roadrunners (LB) |
| 1989 | Pori Bears |
| 1989–1991 | Iowa Wesleyan Tigers (OC/OL) |
| 1992–1993 | Valdosta State Blazers (OC/WR/QB) |
| 1994–1996 | Valdosta State (OC/OL) |
| 1997–1998 | Kentucky Wildcats (OC/QB) |
| 1999 | Oklahoma Sooners (OC/QB) |
| 2000–2009 | Texas Tech Red Raiders |
| 2012–2019 | Washington State Cougars |
| 2020–2022 | Mississippi State Bulldogs |
| Administrative career (AD unless noted) | |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 158–107 |
| Bowls | 8–9 |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| |
| Awards | |
|
| |
Michael Charles Leach (March 9, 1961 – December 12, 2022) was an American college football coach who primarily coached at the NCAA Division I FBS level.
Coaching career[]
Nicknamed "The Pirate", he was a two-time national coach of the year, three-time conference coach of the year and the mastermind behind the NCAA record-setting air raid offense. He was the head coach at Texas Tech University from 2000 to 2009, where he became the winningest coach in school history.[1] After Texas Tech, he coached at Washington State University from 2012 to 2019, where he recorded the third-most wins of any coach in school history.[2] He then coached at Mississippi State University from 2020 until his death in 2022.[3]
Leach was known for directing offenses using lots of passing to several receivers, in a spread system known as the air raid, which Leach developed with Hal Mumme when Mumme was head coach and Leach was offensive coordinator at Iowa Wesleyan, Valdosta State, and Kentucky in the 1990s. Leach's offenses with Mumme, and later as a head coach himself, have broken numerous school and NCAA records.[4] On eighteen occasions, Leach led his unranked team to victory over a team ranked in the AP poll, which is the most in the AP era.[5]
Death[]
On December 11, 2022, Leach experienced an undisclosed health issue and was hospitalized in Jackson, Mississippi.[6] That evening, Sports Illustrated reporter Ross Dellenger reported that Leach was in critical condition.[7] The Clarion-Ledger reported that Leach had suffered a massive heart attack and had not received medical attention for 10 to 15 minutes, and had also suffered seizures that may have contributed to brain damage as a result.[8] He died the following day at the age of 61. In a statement, Mississippi State gave the cause of death as "complications due to a heart condition".[9][5]
References[]
- ↑ Mike Leach Named Mississippi State's 34th Head Football Coach (in en) (January 9, 2020).
- ↑ Lawson, Theo (January 9, 2020). After eight seasons, Mike Leach leaving Washington State to coach at Mississippi State.
- ↑ Statement From Mississippi State University on Head Football Coach Mike Leach (in en) (December 11, 2022).
- ↑ Trotter, Jake (November 15, 2008). OU football: A look at TT's 'genius'.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Mississippi State coach Mike Leach dies after hospitalization (December 13, 2022).
- ↑ Gaydos, Ryan (December 11, 2022). Mississippi State's Mike Leach hospitalized with 'personal health issue,' school says. Retrieved on August 9, 2023.
- ↑ Villas, Rexwell (December 11, 2022). Mississippi State football HC Mike Leach in 'critical' state amid hospitalization.
- ↑ Reily, Ross (December 12, 2022). Mike Leach suffers heart attack, situation dire for Mississippi State coach.
- ↑ MSU Bulldog family, college football community mourns the death of Coach Mike Leach (in en) (December 13, 2022). Retrieved on December 13, 2022.
External links[]
- Mike Leach article at Wikipedia
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