Mike Leach - Football Coach - Mississippi State

Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics

Mike Leach

Title:
Head Football Coach

2018, 2008 National Coach of the Year
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Mike Leach, a two-time national coach of the year, three-time Power 5 conference coach of the year and the mastermind behind the NCAA record-setting “Air Raid” offense, was tabbed Mississippi State’s 34th head football coach on January 9, 2020.

The accomplishments for Leach in his 20 years as a head coach are long and distinguished. He has compiled a 150-103 (.593) record, guided his squads to 18 bowl games, produced seven seasons of at least nine victories, captured two conference division titles, became the winningest coach in Texas Tech history and set school records for bowl appearances at both Texas Tech (10) and Washington State (6). During 10 of those 20 seasons, Leach’s passing attack led the FBS – six at Texas Tech and four at Washington State.

One of the most successful coaches in the history of college football, Leach’s 150 career wins are the second-most among active SEC coaches and tied for the fourth-most among active Power 5 coaches. Leach is the only active Power 5 head coach to produce an 11-win season at two different programs since 2008 and one of two active FBS head coaches to win 50-plus games at multiple Power 5 programs.

Of the 50 most productive passing yardage seasons in FBS history, 10 have come from quarterbacks coached by Leach since his hiring as head coach at Texas Tech in 2000. That includes one season by Kliff Kingsbury, one by B.J. Symons (2003), one by Sonny Cumbie, three by Graham Harrell (2006-08), one by Connor Halliday, one by Luke Falk (2015), one by Gardner Minshew II (2018) and one by Anthony Gordon (2019).

During Leach’s second season in Starkville, MSU was the only school in the country that faced six teams ranked in the final College Football Playoff Top 25 and was one of four teams with three wins against teams ranked in the final poll. Leach became the first MSU head coach, at least in the modern era, to beat three teams in one season who finished ranked in a final poll.

In 2021, quarterback Will Rogers – at only 20 years old – became the first MSU quarterback to lead the SEC in passing yards per game (364.5). His 4,739 passing yards are the third most in SEC single-season history (the two quarterbacks ahead of Rogers played in two more games than he did during their respective seasons). Rogers joined 2019 Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow of LSU as the only QBs in college football over the last 22 seasons to throw for 4,700+ yards and 35+ touchdowns while completing at least 73 percent of their passes. After breaking nearly every freshman passing mark in MSU history in 2020, Rogers broke 25 more records, including Dak Prescott’s records set as a fourth-year junior and fifth-year senior for single-season total offense, passing yards and passing touchdowns. It was the 20th consecutive season that Leach's offense eclipsed the 3,000-yard passing mark (every season of his head coaching career).

The Bulldogs were one of four teams to rank inside the top 25 nationally in both total offense and total defense during the 2021 regular season, joining Alabama, Michigan and Coastal Carolina.

Following the 2021 regular season, MSU was the third most improved scoring offense in the SEC and 10th most improved nationally at +9.5 from 2020 (21.4 ppg to 30.9 ppg).

In the spring, offensive tackle Charles Cross heard his name called at Caesers Forum in Las Vegas, when he was selected by the Seattle Seahawks with the ninth overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Leach and Mason Miller became one of three head coach and offensive line coach tandems with a first-round offensive lineman selected in two of the last four NFL Drafts. Leach also became one of only two active head coaches with at least one first-round pick at three different schools.

Cross, a First Team All-American in college, became the highest-drafted MSU offensive lineman ever, surpassing Derek Sherrod who was taken 32nd overall by the Green Bay Packers in 2011. As a senior at MSU, Cross surrendered only two sacks all season on 919 pass blocking snaps, earned the top pass blocking grade in all the SEC per Pro Football Focus and finished second in the league in run blocking grade.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought many unprecedented circumstances to Leach’s first season at Mississippi State, including zero spring practices, an untraditional off-season workout program, and a delayed start to a 10-game SEC only schedule. Despite those challenges, Leach’s staff and players were one of the most mentally and physically conditioned teams in the SEC. The Bulldogs continued to improve throughout the season and ended the year with back-to-back victories, including the program’s first win over a ranked team in a bowl game since 1941. True freshmen were responsible for 76 percent of the team’s touchdowns, and more than 50 percent of the team’s offensive and defensive snaps were taken by first-time starters.

Among the most inexperienced teams in the country, State led the FBS with 26 first-time starters. Leach was one of the only coaches in the country who started a true freshman quarterback (Will Rogers), a pair of true freshmen running backs (Jo’quavious Marks and Dillon Johnson) and a true freshman wide receiver (Jaden Walley) in 2020. A total of 21 MSU passing and receiving records were broken by the Bulldogs in Leach’s first year. Leach had never started a true freshman at quarterback prior in his career. Two true freshmen developed into All-Americans (cornerback Emmanuel Forbes and Walley). Forbes, Walley and left tackle Charles Cross earned SEC All-Freshman Honors. In the classroom, MSU posted a program-record GPA in Spring 2021.

Leach arrived in Starkville after eight seasons at the helm of the Washington State program, where he compiled a 55-47 (.539) record and was named the 2018 American Football Coaches Association National Coach of the Year. A two-time Pac-12 Coach of the Year (2015, 2018), Leach spearheaded WSU to a school-record six bowl appearances and became the first coach in school history to lead the Cougars to five consecutive bowl games. His offense also led the nation in passing offense in four out of his last six seasons in charge.

In 2019, a young Cougars squad reached the Cheez-It Bowl while leading the nation in passing offense (437.2 pypg). A total of eight WSU student-athletes earned All-Pac-12 honors, including Gordon, who earned second-team all-conference honors at quarterback.

The 2018 campaign saw Leach produce one of the finest coaching performances in program history. WSU posted its first 11-win season in school history and earned a share of the Pac-12 North Division title. The Cougars were ranked in the top 13 of each of the College Football Playoff rankings, including four consecutive weeks at No. 8. WSU capped the season with a win over Iowa State in the Alamo Bowl and finished No. 10 in the Associated Press and Coaches polls. Senior quarterback and Mississippi native Minshew captivated the nation, leading the FBS in passing yards per game (367.6).

In the spring of 2019, Leach taught a five-week course at WSU on Insurgent Warfare and Football Strategies, along with former Washington State Senator Michael Baumgartner. That same spring, three Cougars were selected in the 2019 NFL Draft as left tackle Andre Dillard went in the first round to the Eagles, safety Jalen Thompson went in the fifth round to Cardinals and Minshew went in the sixth round to the Jaguars.

In 2017, Leach guided WSU to a 9-4 record, 6-3 in conference play, and a second straight Holiday Bowl appearance. The Cougars opened the season with six consecutive victories and posted wins over No. 5 USC and No. 18 Stanford. Once again, the Cougar offense ranked No. 2 in passing offense (366.8 pypg) while the defense ranked in the national top 25 in seven categories, including four in the top 10. Senior offensive lineman Cody O’Connell repeated as a first-team All-American while junior defensive tackle Hercules Mata’afa also earned first-team All-America honors.

A 7-2 record in Pac-12 play helped Leach’s 2017 squad to an 8-5 overall mark and an appearance in the Holiday Bowl. Leach guided a WSU offense that led the Pac-12 and finished No. 3 nationally in passing offense (362.5 pypg), and led the Pac-12 and sat No. 2 nationally in completion percentage (.703). WSU won eight straight games midway through the season, the longest streak since the 1930 campaign. WSU had 10 student-athletes earn All-Pac-12 honors and O’Connell was a unanimous first-team All-American and finalist for the Outland Trophy.

The Cougars ended the 2015 season with a 9-4 record, 6-3 in the Pac-12, capped by a 20-14 Sun Bowl victory over Miami. After starting the season 2-2, the Cougars went 7-2 over the final nine games, posting last-minute victories at Oregon and No. 18 UCLA, and rallying from a fourth-quarter deficit in a 38-24 victory against Arizona State. For the second straight season, WSU led the nation in passing offense (389.5 pypg), while also finishing No. 2 in the nation in red zone offense (94.5%). The Cougars concluded the regular season by having 11 student-athletes named to All-Pac-12 teams. Senior offensive lineman Joe Dahl earned second-team All-America honors and Mata’afa garnered first-team Freshman All-America honors from USA Today.

In 2014, Leach’s offense led the nation in passing offense at 477.7 yards per game, the second-highest total in FBS history, trailing only Houston’s 511.3 in 1989. WSU set or tied 42 school, Pac-12 or NCAA records that season, including quarterback Connor Halliday’s NCAA single-game record 734 passing yards against California. WSU placed five student-athletes on the All-Pac-12 teams.

In his second season at the helm of the Cougars, Leach guided WSU to the Gildan New Mexico Bowl, its first bowl game appearance in a decade. The Cougar offense threw for more than 400 yards five times, including a 2013 FBS-best 557 yards at Oregon. Halliday became the first WSU quarterback to surpass the 4,000-yard mark and set program single-season records for passing yards (4,587), attempts (714) and completions (449). Safety Deone Bucannon became the first WSU first-team All-American since 2005 and was taken with the No. 27 overall pick in NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals, the first Cougar taken in the first round since 2003. Washington State placed eight student-athletes on Pac-12 All-Academic teams during the season.

Leach previously spent 10 seasons as head coach at Texas Tech (2000-09) where his squads produced bowl appearances all 10 years. He compiled a school-record 84 victories, a school-record five bowl wins and eight consecutive seasons of at least eight wins.

The architect of the most prolific passing offense in the country, Leach received three national coach of the year awards in 2008 – the Woody Hayes Award, Howie Long/Fieldturf Coach of the Year and George Munger Award. Leach’s offense captured six NCAA passing titles and three total offense titles during his 10 seasons in Lubbock.

Leach led Texas Tech to one of the most memorable seasons in school history in 2008 as the team set a program record with 11 regular-season wins en route to an 11-2 record. The win total tied the mark, set previously by the 1953 and 1973 Red Raider squads. Numerous accolades poured in from across the country as an unprecedented four student-athletes earned first-team All-America status, in addition to Leach’s three coach of the year honors. Wide receiver Michael Crabtree was a unanimous All-American for the second-straight season, while Harrell, offensive tackle Rylan Reed and offensive guard Brandon Carter each garnered first-team honors, as well.

Harrell finished his storied career No. 2 on the NCAA career passing yardage list (15,793 yards), while breaking the career NCAA passing touchdowns mark (134). He threw for 4,555 yards in his debut as the starter in 2006 and followed that with back-to-back 5,000-yard seasons in 2007 and 2008. At the time, he became the sixth player and third Red Raider in NCAA history to throw for 5,000 yards in a season. He joins Houston’s Case Keenum as the only NCAA quarterbacks with two 5,000-yard passing seasons, and his 5,705-yard effort in 2007 ranks No. 2 on the single-season charts (5,705 yards).

The running game also flourished under Leach at Texas Tech. Taurean Henderson broke the NCAA career record for receptions by a running back. The Red Raiders’ 28 total rushing scores in 2008 were the most for a Tech team since the 1993 team scored 30. Despite Tech’s offense revolving around the pass, Leach did a tremendous job of incorporating the running back position into the mix. Henderson finished his career with 303 receptions, which at the time ranked first in NCAA history among running backs and No. 4 overall.

A total of 18 student-athletes were drafted at Texas Tech under Leach’s watch and 21 others signed free agent contracts. In the spring of 2009, four student-athletes were selected among the first four rounds of the NFL Draft, marking the most successful draft for Texas Tech in the Leach era.

The program made strides academically as well under Leach. During his 10 years, Texas Tech was recognized as one of the nation’s top institutions for consistently being above a 70 percent graduation rate, according to the AFCA.

Prior to coming on board at Texas Tech, Leach, in just one season at Oklahoma, directed a Sooner offense that went from one of the worst in the Big 12 Conference to one of the best in 1999. Leach guided an offense that went from No. 11 in the Big 12 in 1998 to No. 1 in 1999. In just one year, OU’s total offense numbers improved from 293.3 yards per game to 427.2 yards per game, which enabled them to climb from No. 101 in the FBS to No. 11 nationally. Under Leach, the Oklahoma offense set six Big 12 and 17 school records.

Prior to joining Bob Stoops’ Oklahoma staff, Leach served as offensive coordinator for Hal Mumme at the University of Kentucky and Valdosta (Ga.) State University. Under Mumme and Leach, the Kentucky offense set six NCAA records, 41 SEC records and 116 school records in just 22 games.

Named 1996 Division II Offensive Coordinator of the Year by American Football Quarterly magazine, Leach helped Mumme lead Valdosta State to a 40-17-1 record. The 1993 Blazer offense smashed 66 school records, 22 conference records and seven national records. In 1994, Valdosta State advanced to the Division II playoffs with Leach’s offense shattering 80 school records, 35 conference records and seven more national marks.

Leach and Mumme first teamed up at Iowa Wesleyan College in 1989. From 1989 to 1991 Leach served as offensive coordinator and line coach for a unit that led the NAIA in passing yardage one season and finished No. 2 the other two. Iowa Wesleyan quarterbacks passed for more than 11,000 yards in Leach’s three seasons and broke 26 national records.

Leach also has made coaching stops in Pori, Finland, where he served as a head coach in the European Football League (1989), as well as one-year stints at College of the Desert (1988) and Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo (1987).

After graduating with honors from 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.

The oldest of six siblings, Leach and his wife, Sharon, are the parents of four children: Janeen, Kim, Cody and Kiersten, along with three grandchildren. Born in Susanville, California, Leach was raised in Cody, Wyoming.

THE MIKE LEACH FILE
Hometown: Cody, Wyoming
Education: BYU, 1983 (Bachelor’s); Pepperdine, 1986 (Juris Doctor); U.S. Sports Academy, 1988 (Master’s)
Wife: Sharon
Children: Janeen, Kim, Cody and Kiersten
Birthday: March 9, 1961

COACHING CAREER
2020-present: Mississippi State (Head Coach)
2012-19: Washington State (Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks)
2000-09: Texas Tech (Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks)
1999: Oklahoma (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks)
1997-98: Kentucky (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks)
1994-96: Valdosta State (Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers/Quarterbacks)
1992-93: Valdosta State (Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line)
1989-91: Iowa Wesleyan (Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line)
1989: Pori, Finland – European League (Head Coach)
1988: College of the Desert [Calif.] (Linebackers)
1987: Cal Poly (Offensive Line)

BOWL GAMES AS A HEAD COACH
2021: Liberty Bowl (Mississippi State)
2020: Armed Forces Bowl (Mississippi State)
2019: Cheez-It Bowl (Washington State)
2018: Alamo Bowl (Washington State)
2017: Holiday Bowl (Washington State)
2016: Holiday Bowl (Washington State)
2015: Sun Bowl (Washington State)
2013: New Mexico Bowl (Washington State)
2009: Alamo Bowl* (Texas Tech)
2008: Cotton Bowl (Texas Tech)
2007: Gator Bowl (Texas Tech)
2006: Insight Bowl (Texas Tech)
2005: Cotton Bowl (Texas Tech)
2004: Holiday Bowl (Texas Tech)
2003: Houston Bowl (Texas Tech)
2002: Tangerine Bowl (Texas Tech)
2001: Alamo Bowl (Texas Tech)
2000: GalleryFurniture.com Bowl (Texas Tech)
* - denotes did not coach in game

YEAR-BY-YEAR HEAD COACHING RECORD

Year	School	Overall	Conf.	Notable
2000	Texas Tech	7-6	3-5
2001	Texas Tech	7-6	4-4
2002	Texas Tech	9-5	5-3	Beat No. 4 Texas; Tangerine Bowl Champions
2003	Texas Tech	8-5	4-4	Houston Bowl Champions
2004	Texas Tech	8-4	5-3	No. 18 in AP/No. 17 in Coaches; Holiday Bowl Champions
2005	Texas Tech	9-3	6-2	No. 20 in AP/No. 19 in Coaches
2006	Texas Tech	8-5	4-4	Insight Bowl Champions
2007	Texas Tech	9-4	4-4	Beat No. 3 Oklahoma; No. 22 in AP/No. 23 in Coaches
2008	Texas Tech	11-2	7-1	No. 7 in BCS; Two top-10 wins including No. 1 Texas
2009	Texas Tech	8-4	5-3	Beat No. 15 Nebraska
2012	Washington State	3-9	1-8	Beat No. 25 Washington
2013	Washington State	6-7	4-5	Beat No. 25 USC
2014	Washington State	3-9	2-7
2015	Washington State	9-4	6-3	Sun Bowl Champions
2016	Washington State	8-5	7-2	Beat No. 15 Stanford
2017	Washington State	9-4	6-3	Beat No. 5 USC and No. 18 Stanford
2018	Washington State	11-2	7-2	AFCA Coach of the Year; Pac-12 North Co-Champions
2019	Washington State	6-7	3-6	Fifth straight bowl appearance at WSU
2020	Mississippi State	4-7	3-7	Beat No. 5 LSU; Armed Forces Bowl Champions
2021	Mississippi State	4-4	7-6	First MSU coach in modern era to beat three teams in final top 25
TOTAL (20 seasons)		150-103	90-80
MSU Record (2 seasons)		11-13	7-11
TTU Record (10 seasons)		84-43	47-33
WSU Record (8 seasons)		55-47	36-36

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT MIKE LEACH AT MISSISSIPPI STATE ...
"Mike Leach is a great hire for Mississippi State. He is one of the most unique and creative minds in the game of football and should bring an exciting style of play to the fans in Starkville. The numbers his offense put up the last time he coached in the SEC were record-setting and I would expect strong results this time around as well."
- Bob Stoops, Former Oklahoma Head Coach / Dallas Renegades Head Coach & General Manager (1.10.20)

“Congrats to Mississippi State on the hiring of my close friend Coach Mike Leach. Mike will give Mississippi State fans an exciting, disciplined and focused team with his unique perspective of running a successful program. This will be a great era of Mississippi State football.”
-Urban Meyer, three-time national champion head coach and current FOX Sports analyst

“As Mark Twain said: ‘The greatest swordsman in the world doesn’t fear the second greatest swordsman. He always fears the unconventional swordsman.’ Mike Leach is someone to fear because he is the unconventional swordsman.”
- Michael Lombardi, Former NFL Executive/Author of “Gridiron Genius” (1.10.20)

“Bill Walsh always told me: ‘Very few people can coach a quarterback, and even fewer can evaluate them.’ Mike Leach is one of those few.”
- Michael Lombardi, Former NFL Executive/Author of “Gridiron Genius” (1.10.20)

“Coach Leach is one of the best offensive minds I’ve ever been around. He had a huge impact on my life as both a coach and a player.”
- Seth Littrell, North Texas Head Coach (1.10.20)

“Mike Leach is a pioneer in offensive football and the SEC has yet to see anything like his offense. They also haven’t heard a head coach who has interests far beyond the gridiron. I think he will have the opportunity to turn the SEC on its head quickly, on various fronts. He’s become a great friend and someone I admire for his curiosity, desire to seek the best for his program and willingness to be himself. A great get for Mississippi State and they are fortunate to have him and his family as a part of their community.”
- Yogi Roth, Pac-12 Network (1.10.20)

“Without a doubt Mike Leach is one of the greatest offensive minds in college football history. What truly sets him apart is his ability to develop quarterbacks and consistently produce high-powered offenses everywhere he’s been. I cannot wait to see him continue that at Mississippi State and I know that program is in for one heck of a ride.”
- Kliff Kingsbury, Arizona Cardinals Head Coach (1.10.20)

“Leach is one of the best-known offensive minds in college football, as his Air Raid-style system has become pervasive in the sport and also spread to the NFL.”
- Pete Thamel, Yahoo Sports! (1.9.20)

“One of the nation’s most innovative offensive minds.”
- Brett McMurphy, Stadium (1.9.20)

“We know the offense will work. We know Leach will find quarterbacks and receivers who can break records. If he staffs the defense appropriately, the Bulldogs may be able to continue to outpunch their weight and live in the manner to which they had become accustomed.”
-Andy Staples, The Athletic (1.9.20)