Veteran faculty soccer coach Mike Leach, 61, died Monday evening following complications from a heart condition. Leach, who led Mississippi State since 2020, was transported to the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson on Sunday to obtain remedy for a medical incident suffered in his residence.
Leach was final seen in public Saturday evening at an area vacation social gathering.
The Leach household launched an announcement on his passing Tuesday morning by means of the varsity: “Mike was a giving and attentive husband, father and grandfather. 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.”
Acclaimed because the architect of the progressive and record-setting “Air Raid” offense alongside Hal Mumme, Leach was a three-time nationwide coach of the yr and three-time Power Five convention coach of the yr. He gained a pair of Power Five division titles and led his groups to 19 bowl video games throughout his 21-year head teaching profession.
A highschool soccer participant who spent 5 years competing in rugby at BYU (1979-83), Leach earned a grasp’s diploma from the U.S. Sports Academy and his Juris Doctor from Pepperdine University earlier than taking up offensive line tasks at Cal Poly in 1987. He rose to prominence growing the Air Raid as Humme’s offensive coordinator at Iowa Wesleyan (1989-91), Valdosta State (1992-96) and Kentucky (1997-98) earlier than branching off to affix Bob Stoops’ workers at Oklahoma in 1999.
Proving his Air Raid viable at two main packages, Leach earned his first head teaching job at Texas Tech in 2000. His decade-long profession with Red Raiders — during which he compiled an 84-43 file with 10 straight bowl appearances whereas turning into the winningest coach in program historical past — got here to an abrupt finish when he was finally fired throughout an investigation into alleged inappropriate remedy of a participant.
After two years out of the sport, Leach reemerged at Washington State in 2012 and equally turned across the Cougars with profitable seasons in 4 of his closing 5 campaigns, together with an 11-2 mark in 2018.
Mississippi State employed Leach away in 2020, a month after rival Ole Miss introduced in Lane Kiffin as its coach. The Bulldogs went 15-10 in his final two seasons with Leach compiling a 158-107 general file as a head coach at the collegiate degree.
“Coach Mike Leach cast a tremendous shadow not just over Mississippi State University, but over the entire college football landscape,” mentioned Mississippi State University president Mark E. Keenum. “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’s 158 wins ranked fifth amongst energetic Power Five coaches at the conclusion of the 2022 season, and his Air Raid offense allowed his groups to steer the FBS in passing throughout 10 of the 21 seasons during which he was a head coach.
The success of Leach’s Air Raid prolonged far past the packages he coached. The branches of his teaching tree are intensive as Dave Aranda (Baylor), Neal Brown (West Virginia), Sonny Cumbie (Louisiana Tech), Sonny Dykes (TCU), Dana Holgorsen (Houston), Kliff Kingsbury (Arizona Cardinals), Lincoln Riley (USC) and Ken Wilson (Nevada) — amongst many others — all coached underneath him at one level.
Kingsbury succeeded Leach 4 years after his dismissal at Texas Tech and finally made his technique to the NFL, whereas Riley has seen essentially the most intensive success of any Leach assistant by teaching three of the final six Heisman Trophy winners (Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, Caleb Williams) to go together with three College Football Playoff berths at Oklahoma.
Beyond his on-field accomplishments, Leach emerged as one of the vital notable characters in faculty soccer throughout the final 20 years since turning into a head coach.
He was affectionately nicknamed the “Pirate” — for his swashbuckling fashion when it got here to innovating on the sector, his willingness to talk on any topic with no filter (at occasions bucking political correctness), and his “Swing Your Sword” mantra used to prepared his groups to enter battle on the gridiron.
Leach was an academician, educator and historical past buff who appeared to know one thing about all the pieces and was glad to dive into any topic at a second’s discover. Beyond enjoying nicely on the sector, the student-athletes on his groups steadily graduated at excessive charges.
Leach authored two books: a 2011 autobiography, “Swing Your Sword: Leading the Charge in Football and in Life,” that grew to become a New York Times best-seller and “Geronimo: Leadership Strategies of an American Warrior” in 2014. He additionally taught a five-week course at Washington State in 2019: “Insurgent Warfare and Football Strategies.”
Leach will certainly be remembered for his distinctive fashion on and off the sector, simply as a lot as his means to get essentially the most out of his groups. His affect on faculty soccer during the last 4 many years was immeasurable.
CBS Sports will replace this story if further information is made accessible.
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