‘Unique’ coach was innovator
Gruff, pioneering and unfiltered, Mike Leach was one of the most influential football coaches of this or any generation. His boundless curiosity and fascination for people, places and things made him famous beyond the field, a unique character in sports.
Leach, who was in his third year at Mississippi State after helping revolutionize the game of football from high school to the NFL with the Air Raid offense, died Monday night following complications from a heart condition, the school said Tuesday. He was 61.
Leach fell ill Sunday at his home in Starkville, Mississippi, near the university.
He was treated at a local hospital before being airlifted to University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, about 120 miles away.
In 21 seasons as a head coach at Texas Tech, Washington State and Mississippi State, Leach went 158-107.
Mississippi State was his third head coaching stop on an unusual path in the profession.
Leach fought through a bout with pneumonia late in this season, coughing uncontrollably at times during news conferences, but seemed to be improving, according to those who worked with him.
News of him falling gravely ill swept through college football the past few days and left many who knew him stunned, hoping and praying for a recovery.
“It’s hard to put into words the impact that Mike Leach had on the players he coached, the game of football and me personally,” TCU coach Sonny Dykes posted on Twitter. “He was a unique personality and independent thinker and a great friend. No one had a greater influence on my life other than my father.”
In Starkville, under gray skies, the videoboard at Davis Wade Stadium showed an image of a smiling Leach and the message: “In loving memory.” Black ribbons were tied to the stadium gates and flowers were left there to honor the coach.
At Martin Stadium in Pullman, Washington, a similar tribute was on the videoboard above a snow covered field.
Leach was known for his pass-happy offense, wide-ranging interests — he wrote a book about Native American leader Geronimo, had a passion for pirates and taught a class about insurgent warfare — and rambling, off-the-cuff news conferences.
Leach’s teams were consistent winners at programs where success did not come easy. His quarterbacks put up massive passing statistics, running a relatively simple offense called the Air Raid that he did not invent but certainly mastered.
Six of the 20 best passing seasons in major college football history were by quarterbacks who played for Leach, including four of the top six.
Leach’s extensive coaching tree includes USC’s Lincoln Riley, Dykes, Houston’s Dana Holgorsen and Kliff Kingsbury of the NFL’s Cardinals.
Leach is survived by his wife and four children, Janeen, Kimberly, Cody and Kiersten.