Mike Leach
Height: 6'2" (1.88 m) Physique: Average Build
Michael Charles Leach (March 9, 1961 – December 12, 2022; aged 61) was an American college football coach who primarily coached at the NCAA Division I FBS level. 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. 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. He then coached at Mississippi State University from 2020 until his death in 2022.
Funny how I’ve heard this guy name from watching college football shows, but never looked him up until he was hired by Mississippi State. He looks like the kind of man I could spend hours with fucking.
Born in Susanville, CA, Leach was raised in Cody, Wyoming, Leach graduated from Cody High School in 1979. After graduating with honors from Brigham Young University (BYU) in 1983, Leach earned a master’s degree from the U.S. Sports Academy and his Juris Doctor from Pepperdine University, where he graduated in the top one-third of his class. Leach began his coaching career as an assistant at Cal Poly in 1987. After a few more stops as an assistant coach, Leach was hired at Texas Tech from 2000 to 2009 and Washington State from 2012 to 2019 before spending two season at Mississippi State University from 2020 until his death in 2022.
Leach died Monday night after complications related to a heart condition. He was married (aren't they all?), survived by his wife, Sharon and four children, along with three grandchildren. Nicknamed the "Pirate," Leach had an affinity for pirates and even had a life-sized statue of a singing pirate in his office when he was at Washington State. That's fitting as he could have taken my pirate booty.
Head Coaching Record Overall: 158–107 Bowls: 8–9
Accomplishments and Honors Championships 1 Big 12 South Division (2008) 1 Pac-12 North Division (2018)
Awards AFCA Coach of the Year (2018) George Munger Award (2008) Woody Hayes Trophy (2008) 2× Pac-12 Coach of the Year (2015, 2018) Big 12 Coach of the Year (2008)
