Mississippi State’s head football coach Mike Leach has died. He was 61 years old.”Coach Mike Leach passed away (Monday) night from complications related to a heart condition. He 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,” the Leach family said Tuesday in a statement.On Sunday, the football coach experienced a medical emergency at his home and was later transported to the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. Leach was in critical condition Sunday night until he died.Leach spent three seasons at Mississippi State after being named head coach in January of 2020. This past season was his best at MSU. The Bulldogs won eight games — three of those were against ranked teams — and MSU went on the road to clinch a 24-22 win over Ole Miss on Thanksgiving to secure Leach’s very first Egg Bowl.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 Leach’s recovery under grim circumstances.His impact on college football over the last two decades runs deep and will continue for years to come.The impact, “The Pirate” as he was affectionately called, had on college football is massive. Leach was one of the most intriguing, engaging, quirky, smart and sometimes hilarious coaches in the game. Here are a few of the most memorable moments.Leach was regarded as the mastermind behind the Air Raid offense that set records across the country. After starting out at Cal Poly as an offensive line coach in 1987, the Wyoming native went on to coach college football for over three decades, with more than 20 as a head coach. His stints include Kentucky, Valdosta State, Washington State, Texas Tech and a team in Finland in a European League in the late 1980s.Leach also coached up a couple of quarterbacks out of the metro area in Brandon products Gardner Minshew (Washington State) and Will Rogers (MSU).In his time in Starkville, Leach kept MSU’s streak of reaching bowl games alive. Mississippi State is one of seven programs to go to a bowl game every year since 2010. The Bulldogs had three bowl berths under Leach.As far as wins go for “The Pirate,” what stands out the most is that his five road wins over ranked opponents are the most for a Mississippi State head coach. He also has seven wins against ranked opponents — tying him for the most for an MSU head coach.But after all that, Leach was known for bringing offenses to life, developing players and being one of the top coaches you wanted to talk to. He taught classes at Washington State and MSU on insurgent warfare and football strategy, among the many other interests he had outside of football.Leach will be missed most by his wife Sharon and four children. His current players, former players, coaches, MSU fans and college football will miss him dearly. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Mississippi State’s head football coach Mike Leach has died. He was 61 years old.
“Coach Mike Leach passed away (Monday) night from complications related to a heart condition. He 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,” the Leach family said Tuesday in a statement.
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On Sunday, the football coach experienced a medical emergency at his home and was later transported to the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. Leach was in critical condition Sunday night until he died.
Leach spent three seasons at Mississippi State after being named head coach in January of 2020. This past season was his best at MSU. The Bulldogs won eight games — three of those were against ranked teams — and MSU went on the road to clinch a 24-22 win over Ole Miss on Thanksgiving to secure Leach’s very first Egg Bowl.
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 Leach’s recovery under grim circumstances.
His impact on college football over the last two decades runs deep and will continue for years to come.
The impact, “The Pirate” as he was affectionately called, had on college football is massive. Leach was one of the most intriguing, engaging, quirky, smart and sometimes hilarious coaches in the game. Here are a few of the most memorable moments.
Leach was regarded as the mastermind behind the Air Raid offense that set records across the country. After starting out at Cal Poly as an offensive line coach in 1987, the Wyoming native went on to coach college football for over three decades, with more than 20 as a head coach. His stints include Kentucky, Valdosta State, Washington State, Texas Tech and a team in Finland in a European League in the late 1980s.
Leach also coached up a couple of quarterbacks out of the metro area in Brandon products Gardner Minshew (Washington State) and Will Rogers (MSU).
In his time in Starkville, Leach kept MSU’s streak of reaching bowl games alive. Mississippi State is one of seven programs to go to a bowl game every year since 2010. The Bulldogs had three bowl berths under Leach.
As far as wins go for “The Pirate,” what stands out the most is that his five road wins over ranked opponents are the most for a Mississippi State head coach. He also has seven wins against ranked opponents — tying him for the most for an MSU head coach.
But after all that, Leach was known for bringing offenses to life, developing players and being one of the top coaches you wanted to talk to. He taught classes at Washington State and MSU on insurgent warfare and football strategy, among the many other interests he had outside of football.
Leach will be missed most by his wife Sharon and four children. His current players, former players, coaches, MSU fans and college football will miss him dearly.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
