Mike Leach Was More Than A College Football Coach, Leaves An Outstanding Legacy Behind
Heartbreaking news shook the college football world on Sunday when there was a report that Mississippi State head coach Mike Leach was in the hospital with a severe health condition.
Everyone was glued to their phones for two days trying to find news on Leach, and unfortunately, on Tuesday, it was announced that Mike Leach passed away at the age of 61 from complications from a heart condition.
MSU Bulldog family, college football community mourns the death of Coach Mike Leachhttps://t.co/LzWyLyX3xM — Mississippi State Football (@HailStateFB) December 13, 2022
The entire college football world, from coaches, players, students, and fans, was utterly shocked that this legendary man was no longer with us.
Leach Was More Than A Coach
Leach was a good football coach spending time being the head man at Texas Tech, Washington State, and Mississippi State.
pic.twitter.com/JpV2heCg0k — Lane Kiffin (@Lane_Kiffin) December 13, 2022
He also was fresh of breath air when it came to coaches. Everyone knows that coaches are serious and act like CEOS of billion-dollar businesses, but Leach was the opposite.
There will never be another one quite like Mike Leach. A true college football original. pic.twitter.com/ZnpJwMXT2q — SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 13, 2022
I don’t think Leach had a serious bone in his body, but instead, he had a bunch of funny bones and ways to put smiles on everyone’s faces.
He has some of the most iconic interviews in sports, from talking about his favorite Halloween candy, bigfoot, and mascots.
Anytime they put a microphone in front of Leach at a press conference, before, halftime, or after a game, you never knew what funny thing Leach would say, and that was something fans would look forward to every Saturday in the fall.
When it comes to coaches, it’s always about how many wins you had and how many championships you were able to win.
Leach won 158 games over his 21-year career, but at the end of the day, Leach will be remembered not for how many games he won but for what he did off the field and how he brought joy to many other people.
Leach Would Want His Team To Still Play
Mississippi State is scheduled to play in the ReliaQuest Bowl vs. Illinois on January 2nd. Many wondered if they would still play the game, and it was announced yesterday that they would still be playing that game because that was what coach Leach would want.
Leach left a legacy that no other coach or person can fill. There were so many great stories about how Leach impacted and cared about them from players, coaches, writers, reporters, and so many others that it was a treat to read all over social media and the internet.
Mike Leach will truly be missed, and the sport will never be the same without Leach walking the sidelines and everyone waiting; what funny thing he was going to say walking into the locker room at halftime.
Rest In Peace to an outstanding coach; hopefully, the college football world can live up to 50% of what you have accomplished for the sport.