The college football world has lost a great one, as Mississippi State Bulldogs head coach Mike Leach passed away Monday night at the age of 61. The school put out an announcement on Leach's death Tuesday morning. Leach coached Mississippi State football from 2020 to 2022, but his impact goes away beyond what he did as part of the Bulldogs program.
Leach was rushed to the hospital over the weekend due to an emergency medical situation that was only described as a “personal health issue at his home.” It was later reported that he was in critical condition and that it was going to take a miracle for him to recover.
Another update revealed that Leach suffered a heart attack at his house in Starkville. His family says he died “from complications related to a heart condition.”
Mississippi State football is slated to face the Illinois Fighting Illini on Jan. 2 in the ReliaQuest Bowl, with defensive coordinator Zach Arnett expected to lead the team if they play. However, it is currently uncertain whether Mississippi State football would push through with the game given the death of Mike Leach, who turned 61 in March.
Mike Leach had a decorated and illustrious coaching career in football way before he set foot at the Mississippi State campus. He started his coaching career in 1987 at Cal Poly as an assistant. He even had a stint as a football coach in Finland for the Pori Bears of the American Football Association of Finland.
Among Mike Leach's most notable coaching stints was his time with the Kentucky Wildcats as head coach and offensive coordinator in 1997 and 1998. After that, he took his talents to Norman to become a quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator for the Oklahoma Sooners in 1999. He would then serve several years as head coach of the Texas Tech Red Raiders from 2000 to 2009. Leach also coached the Washington State Cougars from 2012 to 2019.
Leach had an overall college football coaching record of 158-107.
Follow Us
Subscribe