Mike Leach

Football Coach

Mike Leach was born in Susanville, California, United States on March 9th, 1961 and is the Football Coach. At the age of 63, Mike Leach biography, profession, age, height, weight, eye color, hair color, build, measurements, education, career, dating/affair, family, news updates, and networth are available.

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Date of Birth
March 9, 1961
Nationality
United States
Place of Birth
Susanville, California, United States
Age
63 years old
Zodiac Sign
Pisces
Networth
$8 Million
Salary
$2.8 Million
Profession
Head Coach
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Mike Leach Height, Weight, Eye Color and Hair Color

At 63 years old, Mike Leach physical status not available right now. We will update Mike Leach's height, weight, eye color, hair color, build, and measurements.

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Mike Leach Religion, Education, and Hobbies
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Hobbies
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Education
Brigham Young University (BA), Pepperdine University (JD), United States Sports Academy (MS)
Mike Leach Spouse(s), Children, Affair, Parents, and Family
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Mike Leach Life

Michael Charles Leach (born March 9, 1961) is an American college football coach and head coach at Washington State University in Pullman.

Previously, he was the head coach at Texas Tech University, leading the Red Raiders to record-breaking victories in Lubbock over the ten seasons.

Early life and education

Frank and Sandra Leach, both of Susanville, California, leach Cody, Wyoming, as his hometown. He was raised as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He graduated from Cody High School in 1979 and then attended Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo, Utah, where he competed rugby and closely followed the football team's exploits. BYU's head coach Lavell Edwards, offensive coordinator Norm Chow, and quarterbacks Marc Wilson, Jim McMahon, and Steve Young were among the few college footballers to play pass-oriented offenses. Leach earned a bachelor's degree in American studies in 1983.

Leach earned a Juris Doctor degree from Pepperdine University School of Law in Malibu, California, in 1986. He is also one of the most notable alumni of the United States Sports Academy in Daphne, Alabama, from which he obtained a Master's of Sports Science in sports coaching in 1988.

Personal life

Leach is the oldest of six siblings. Four children's four children and three grandchildren, as well as his partner, Sharon, are his parents. Leach was born in Susanville, California, and was raised in Cody, Wyoming.

The leach is the first head coach of NCAA Division I to say he did not play football. He is one of eight current head coaches, seven of whom are in FBS. Eliah Drinkwitz of Missouri, David Cutcliffe at Duke, Sonny Dykes at TCU, Bill Clark of Memphis, Hugh Freeze at Liberty, and Montana's only FCS coach, Bobby Hauck.

Leach has consulted with his players on the history of pirates, such as Blackbeard and Calico Jack, and has advised them before games to "swing their swords." His office has been described as a museum of pirate phenalia. Leach, in particular, is raving over pirate teamwork.

In a cameo he made on the TV show Friday Night Lights, Leach's affinity for pirates came to bear. In the show's fourth season, he plays a "random loon" at a gas station who compels a struggling coach Eric Taylor to "swing your sword" and "find your inner pirate."

During each off-season, Leach Leach devotes time to non-sport pursuits. He has researched topics ranging from pirates to African explorer Daniel Boone, American pioneer Daniel Boone, grizzly bears, chimpanzees, whales, and American artist Jackson Pollock.

Leach co-taught a five-week seminar at Washington State on "Insurgent Warfare and Football Strategies," alongside Washington politician Michael Baumgartner.

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Mike Leach Career

Coaching career

Leach began his teaching career in 1987 as an assistant at Cal Poly and College of the Desert. (1988).

He served as head coach of the Pori Bears in the American Football Association of Finland in 1989.

He first joined Hal Mumme's staff at Iowa Wesleyan University as offensive coordinator in 1989. The pair stayed there for three seasons before moving to Valdosta State (1992–1996) and then Kentucky (1997–1998). The alliance was renowned for the growth of the air raid offense, which allowed their teams to rank high in offensive statistics and record numerous records. Tim Couch, the quarterback for Kentucky, has been voted No. 1 by the No. 2 to start the season. Overall, there is one best NFL draft pick.

Leach joined the Oklahoma staff under head coach Bob Stoops for the 1999 season. Oklahoma's offense, which had ranked 11th in the Big 12 Conference in 1998, rose under Leach to first in the conference in 1999.

Leach, the Texas Tech Red Raiders' head coach after one year in Oklahoma, has been hired as head coach, marking the second Big 12 member.

The Leach-coached Red Raiders' best finishes in 2002, 2005, and 2007, as well as an 11-win season in 2008. For the first time since 1997, Tech defeated Baylor, Texas, and Texas A&M, 55–15, and then defeated Clemson, 55-15. It was the Red Raiders' first postseason victory since 1995 when they defeated the Air Force Falcons in the Copper Bowl. The Red Raiders began their season in 2005 with a 6–0 record, their best start since 1998. Leach had a good passing game at Tech, where the Red Raiders led the NCAA in passing yardage for the fourth year in a row.

For three years, he inserted Kliff Kingsbury at quarterback. Kingsbury set a new NCAA record for completions in a career. B. J. Symons, who had the most passing yards in a season in NCAA history, was promoted to Kingsbury. Sonny Cumbie came after the Red Raiders were shocked to an upset of the then-ranked California in the Holiday Bowl, causing them to drop their second-place finish. Cody Hodges came from Cumbie and then led the NCAA in passing. Graham Harrell, the first non-senior starting QB since Kingsbury, failed early in the 2006 season. However, he continued his growth with the game against Iowa State and ended the season with a record-breaking victory over the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Harrell, among other things, has set NCAA records for passes completed in a season and career.

Texas Tech was known for its high-scoring defense and come-from-behind victories under Mike Leach. With TCU leading 21–0 with eight minutes remaining in the second quarter, a 70–35 victory over TCU in 2004 began. A defensive back at TCU was caught mouthing into a television camera before Tech's scoring drives began, saying, "They aren't going to score." Texas Tech defeated Nebraska 70–10, causing the Cornhuskers to give up more points in a single game than they had before in their 114-year history. The Red Raiders were losing 13–10, late in the second quarter, but the game was won 59–20. Also in 2005, Tech had a 14-10 advantage over Texas A&M. They increased the margin to 56–17 by the time the game was over. It was the Aggies' biggest loss to the Red Raiders in the 64-year-old franchise.

During the 2007 inaugural Inta Juice North-South All-Star Classic game, Mike Leach was selected to lead the South team.

Leach was 76–39 with the Red Raiders, with 7–2 against the Texas A&M Aggies and 2–7 against the Texas Longhorns. With a 5-4 record, he is the all-time winningest coach in Tech football postseason play. After leaving Texas Tech, Leach was one of the only sixteen active college football coaches with no losing season. In his seminal year with Washington State, he was followed by a 3–9 record. He is one of nine people who have been a head coach for at least five seasons out of nine.

Leach, a Texas Tech graduate, has signed a three-year contract extension that would have cost him more than $100,000 per year if he had stayed through 2013. Leach's unconditional payment was expected to be $1.6 million in 2006, $1.65 million in 2007, $1.85 million in 2009, and $2.15 million in 2010.

Leach spent the majority of his time against Texas during his officiating crew's calls during his post-game press conference. He argued that Texas officials may have favored Texas because the head official lived in Austin, or perhaps because the conference wanted Texas to appear in a BCS bowl due to increased appearance fees that such a bowl attracts for the conference. "Leach was furious officials disallowed two Tech touchdowns in the third quarter," Associated Press reporter Jim Vertuno wrote. The first was overruled after a video replay showed the receiver let the ball crash the ground. A touchdown pass was negated by a holding penalty on the next play. A flag for roughing the quarterback was also wanted by Leach, but he didn't have one." "Big 12 policy restricts coaches from speaking out about game players in a public manner," Leach's behavior kept him open to reprimand, fine, or worse." "Big 12 official spokesperson Bob Burda did not immediately respond to phone calls demanding information," ESPN said. The leach's rant is likely to result in a fine from the league and possibly a suspension."

The Big 12 fined Leach $10,000, the most fine in Big 12 history, on November 13, 2007. The reprimand was received by the Leach himself, who was warned that further offences could result in suspension. Leach said in a Big 12 coaches' conference call that day that he did not regret making any of the remarks. Leach Leach Leach confirmed that he would appeal the fine. In the case that the penalty was upheld, tech alumni and followers began raising money to help Leach with paying the fine. Optionally, the funds raised can be used charitably. So, just before Christmas 2007, Leach Leach ordered that the nearly $5,000 raised to that point be invested on 400 hams be given free to families in Lubbock, Texas. Any future funds were intended for the university or athletic department. Following the 2008 Gator Bowl, in which Virginia scored twice on penalties for intentional grounding in the end zone, Leach joked, "I felt like we had a back there on the one safety, but I don't comment on officiating." I just give out hams is what I do.'

On the cover of Dave Campbell's Texas Football, Leach, along with players Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree were included. The 2008 Red Raider football team was expected to be the best in Texas, according to the magazine, and it will challenge for the Big 12 South title. Following a 9–0 start to the season, led by victories over the undefeated Texas Longhorns, Texas Tech Athletic Director Gerald Myers declared that the university will renegotiate Leach's deal following the conclusion of the football regular season and give him a new contract.

The Red Raiders finished the 2008 regular season with 11 victories and 1 loss, the highest in school history. The season also saw the first victory over a top-ranked team. The Big 12 Conference South division champion, along with Oklahoma and Texas, has been shared by Tech, along with Oklahoma and Texas. The Associated Press named Leach the Big 12 Coach of the Year on December 2, 2008. The honor was given by the agency's commission, but Texas' Mack Brown received 4 votes, while Texas' Mack Brown earned 4. He earned a Big 12 Coach's Co-Coach of the Year award; Bob Stoops of Oklahoma received the same honor for the same season. He was named Coach of the Year by the Dallas Morning News as well. He received the 2008 George Munger Award, which is given annually to the top college coach of the year by the Maxwell Football Club.

After much controversies over how the tie-breaker should be handled by Texas, Oklahoma, and Texas Tech fans, the Red Raiders were left out of the BCS because of a statute that only two teams from each league would play per season. Oklahoma won the tiebreaker due to their higher BCS ranking, but then lost to Florida in the national championship. Texas Tech also lost in the Cotton Bowl to Ole Miss 47–34.

Leach was recruited for a head coaching position at the University of Washington, which was previously vacant by Tyrone Willingham. Following his interview, ESPN revealed that Leach withdrew his name from the coaching search. Tommy Tuberville, who had resigned, was also believed to have contacted Leach. In an interview with the Associated Press, Tech quarterback Graham Harrell said that Leach had a "great chance" of leaving. Leach could face a newer adversary, according to Harrell. Harrell retracted his comments after Leach dropped his name from consideration for the Washington position, ensuring that Leach will remain the Red Raiders' coach.

Gerald Myers, the tech's athletic director, had predicted that he would give Leach a raise before Tech's bowl game, but later negotiated it. After months of squabbles over the terms of the deal, Leach and the University decided on a five-year contract extension worth $12.7 million.

On October 31, 2009, Leach, the Red Raiders' victory over Kansas, honoured Spike Dykes as the all-time winningest coach in Texas Tech's 85-year football history. Leach defeated Dykes for the first time on the school's wins list on November 21, 2009, beating Oklahoma.

Leach was suspended indefinitely by Texas Tech in the investigation into suspected improper treatment of Adam James, the son of former SMU and New England Patriots running back (and former ESPN college football analyst) Craig James. James sustained a concussion on December 16, 1996. He was examined the next day and told not to exercise that afternoon due to the concussion. Leach ordered him to stand in the equipment room near the Raiders' practice facility, according to a James family source. According to the Lubbock Aval, school authorities say they gave Leach an ultimatum to write by December 28 or Leach will be suspended. Ted Liggett, his counsel, denied the university's and other news outlets' accounts of the events and said James had been treated fairly in light of his illness.

Leach requested an injunction that would have allowed him to coach in the 2010 Alamo Bowl. On December 30, Texas Tech fired Leach after he refused to apologize to James as "a defiant act of insubordination." This was the day before Leach was allegedly owed an $800,000 tenure bonus and over $1,700,000 for statutory guaranteed income for 2009. Just minutes before the two teams were set to appear in a Lubbock courthouse for a hearing, Texas Tech lawyers wrote a termination letter to Liggett. Liggett was also advised that Leach would not be allowed to coach in the Alamo Bowl, regardless of how the hearing went. Other incidents had been revealed during Leach's investigation, but school officials later said that they did not go into detail, but that they did not want to go into detail. During their appearance in the Alamo Bowl, defensive coordinator Ruffin McNeill was named interim head coach and led the team.

Leach said in a tweet that the dismissal was prompted in part by simmering controversy over contract talks. He also stated that he planned to sue Texas Tech for unlawful termination.

In his first interview after being fired from Texas Tech, Leach spoke with The New York Times on December 31. He said he didn't know where James had been taken but had only ordered him to be arrested "out of the light." Craig James' persistent struggle for more playing time for his son, whom he described as lazy and entitled, fueled the scandal.

Leach and others formally filed a lawsuit against Texas Tech for wrongful termination and other allegations on January 8, 2010. He claimed that school administrators did not fire him without reason, but made derogatory remarks in an attempt to discourage him from being hired elsewhere. Adam James said under oath that he found the closet incident "funny." District Judge Bill Sowder dismissed all but one of Leach's allegations on the grounds of sovereign immunity in May 2010, but he allowed Leach's complaint for breach of contract to proceed, finding that Texas Tech had waived its privileges based on its conduct. Leach's allegations against three university administrators were also dismissed by the judge. Both sides took steps to appeal the decision, but Leach's lawyers announced that if Texas Tech decides to do likewise and allow the violation of employment law to proceed to a jury trial, they will lose their appeal. Texas Tech was not covered by Leach's argument of misconduct of employment, but Leach can demand non-monetary compensation. Attorney Paul Dobrowski of Leach announced his intention to appeal to Texas's Supreme Court.

The Texas Supreme Court denied Leach's petition for review in February 2012. Dicky Gregg, a Texas tech lawyer, said, "We've been right on the statute and the facts from the start, and the (Texas) Supreme Court has only found that we were correct on the facts."

Peter Berg, the creator of the Friday Night Lights series, has hinted that he has written a movie script for the characters from Leach's dismissal from Texas Tech.

Judge Sowder dismissed Leach's complaint against ESPN, Spaeth Communications, and Craig James on August 6. The attorneys for Leach confirmed that they would appeal.

Leach joined CBS College Sports Network in August 2010, where he spent time as a color analyst with play-by-play announcer Roger Twibell.

On SiriusXM College Sports Nation Channel 91, which airs weekdays 12 p.m. ET, Leach joined Host Jack Arute to co-host "College Football Playbook" on SiriusXM College Sports Nation Channel 91, which airs on Mondays 12 p.m. ET.

Through Diversion Books, Leach released Swing Your Sword: Leading the Charge in Football and in Life in 2011. The book debuted at #6 on The New York Times Best Seller list.

Following the 2010 regular season, Leach was considered by several national media outlets to be a candidate for the head coaching vacancies at University of Miami, University of Maryland, and University of Minnesota. After at least two interviews at Maryland, he was considered the front-runner for the position until the administration decided to recruit Randy Edsall away from UConn. During 2011, Leach was cited in connection with a number of other head-coaching positions, including Washington State, Arizona, Ole Miss, Kansas, Penn State, and Tulane.

On November 30, 2011, Leach and Washington State signed a 2011 contract and began coaching for the 2012 season. Leach's five-year coaching experience made him the fourth-highest paid coach in the Pac-12. Leach received a contract extension until 2024 on December 5, 2019.

Leach's first season in Pullman was tumultuous. In Pac-12 play, Washington State was 3-9 overall and 1-8; the lone victories were against FCS Eastern Washington, UNLV, and an upset of rival Washington in Pullman's Apple Cup. As Marquess Wilson, a star wide receiver, resigned from the team on November 10, further allegations of player violence erupted when citing "physical, emotional, and verbal abuse" by the coaching staff. Elson Floyd, the university president, released a statement immediately following the charges that indicated that he had requested an investigation into the suspected conduct(s) from both the WSU Athletic Department and the Pac-12 Conference. Wilson later denied the allegations that were untrue, and the charges against Leach were not backed up. After leading the Washington State Cougars to their best record since 2006, Leach received a two-year contract extension on November 18, 2013.

For the first time in a decade, Leach led WSU to a 6–6 regular season in 2013. They were led on offense by Connor Halliday, who set school and conference records for passing. For a 4–5 conference record, the Cougars defeated USC, California, Arizona, and Utah. The New Mexico Bowl in Albuquerque, Wazzu, was the most exciting of the game, but the Colorado State Rams defeated the Colorado State Rams 48-45. The Rams completed an all-time good comeback by beating a field goal after time expired in regulations. Leach was given a pay raise for the Cougars' 2013 success.

The Cougars regressed to a 3–9 record in the 2014 season. The Cougars defeated Portland State 521–21, Utah 28–27, and Oregon State 39–32.

Despite a season-opening loss to FCS school Portland State, the Cougars had their best season of the Leach era in 2015, ranking 6–3 in the Pac-12. The Cougars were invited to the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas, where they defeated the Miami Hurricanes 20–14. This was the best Cougar record since the 2003 team went 10–3.

Two losses started the 2016 season, but the Wolves bounced off eight straight victories before losing their final two games. They were drafted in the Holiday Bowl in San Diego, where they lost 17–12 to Minnesota of the Big Ten. In the Pac-12, WSU defeated Oregon and #15 Stanford, earning a major win over the latter. It was the Cougars' highest conference finish in 13 seasons, but the bowl defeat gave WSU a total record of 8–5.

In 2017, Washington State was 6-3 in the Pac-12. They were also invited to the Holiday Bowl, where they lost 42-17 to Michigan State and finished 9–4 overall.

Gardner Minshew was a graduate transfer to quarterback at Leach's time for the 2018 season, and it paid handsome dividends. The Cougars won a school record-tying ten games for the first time since the 2002 Rose Bowl championships. They also soared to seventh in major polling and moved to the Apple Cup with a chance to clinch the Pac-12 North crown and a shot at the Rose Bowl, but they lost 28–15 in Pullman, their sixth straight loss to the Huskies. The 10–2 Cougars were invited to the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio to compete in the Big 12's Iowa State Cyclones. They won by 28-26 for their 11th victory and 11th overall victory.

Leach led Washington State to a 6–7 record in 2019, after Minshew's return to the NFL. The Cougars lost to unranked UCLA, but Leach and the Cougars were ranked #19 going into the game. Leach's 7th consecutive Apple Cup loss ended WSU's regular season.

Leach, the Mississippi State Bulldogs' head coach, decided on January 9, 2020. According to reports, his salary is $5 million per year. With a 44–34 win over no. no, the season began. 6 LSU, who had previously won the CFP National Championship the previous season, are among the many groups to watch. The team suffered the remainder of the season, winning only two more games, 24-17 over Vanderbilt, and 51–32 over Missouri, ending the regular season at 3–7. Despite the losing record, the Bulldogs were invited to the Armed Forces Bowl, as the NCAA waived bowl eligibility requirements due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Mississippi State took on No. 0 against no. 24 Tulsa, defeating the Golden Hurricane 28–26 to finish with a total record of 4–7.

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Mike Leach is honored by Mississippi State with a helmet tribute and name sprayed onto the field at a bowl game

www.dailymail.co.uk, January 2, 2023
On New Year's, the Bulldogs unveiled customized helmets with a pirate flag on the side to honor Leach's nickname, 'The Pirate,' before Sunday's ReliaQuest Bowl game against Illinois. At the Raymond James Stadium, which is home to Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the first name, 'Mike', was painted on the side of Mississippi State's bench, ahead of their match against Illinois. Mississippi State players wanted to play in Monday's bowl game, but they said Leach wanted them to do, according to defensive coordinator Zach Arnett, who was hired as Mississippi State football's new head coach on December 15.

Mike Leach is honored at Fiesta Bowl vs. Michigan by TCU and HC

www.dailymail.co.uk, December 31, 2022
The Horned Frogs stopped to consider and celebrate the life of one of the sport's most lovable figures as TCU prepares for their most important game in a generation. Mike Leach, his former mentor, who died on December 12 after a heart attack, will be remembered by head coach Sonny Dykes. With the charismatic coach having mentored many of football's best coaches, the loss sent shockwaves around the college football world.

Mike Leach, who died at the age of 61 from a heart attack, has been remembered by Texas Tech in a air raid design

www.dailymail.co.uk, December 29, 2022
The Red Raiders screamed down the first seconds of Wednesday night's Texas Bowl game against Ole Miss to pay their respects to the 61-year-old, who spent nine seasons in Lubbock between 2000 and 2009. The penalty was reduced in an emotional opening quarter for Ole Miss, the last team Leach's Mississippi State defeated before his unexpected death on December 12.
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