Gruff, pioneering and unfiltered, Mississippi State’s 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 helped revolutionize 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 (200 kilometers) away.
In 21 seasons as a head coach at Texas Tech, Washington State and Mississippi State, Leach went 158-107 after taking an unusual path to the profession.
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 easily. 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.
This past season, Leach’s Mississippi State team finished 8-4, including a 24-22 victory Thanksgiving night over Mississippi in the intense rivalry known as the Egg Bowl. It was his final game.
Leach is survived by his wife and four children, Janeen, Kimberly, Cody and Kiersten
