Can someone explain the Leach hatred to me?

[HailStout]

Obviously it’s not everyone, but there are some who just seem to despise the man. I’m not saying we should build a statue of the guy, I just don’t understand what he has done to garner such negative feelings. He’s odd, yes, but not in a malignant way. Someone enlighten me.

 

[PCHSDawg]

It doesn't make sense to me. Maybe it's his politics or lack of political correctness. Or the fact that he doesn't give a flying crap what they think of him.

 

[aTotal360]

It's just the old heads that want 3 yards and a cloud of dust.

 

[Felonious Junk]

A large portion of our fan base has been conditioned over the years from the trauma of being a Mississippi State fan that they would prefer to continue to lose as we’ve always done in the past by running the ball 60% of the time instead of trying something different with a different kind of coach.

It’s just Stockholm Syndrome manifested in sports fandom. It’s more comforting to lose the old fashioned way than potentially lose while trying something a new way.

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

Because he doesn’t act like a typical college football coach and that bothers some people.

 

[shotgunDawg]

People that grew up in Mississippi grew up seeing South Panola, Mike Justice, etc win a lot of football games and that’s the style of football they saw win and that they learned to win with.

Leach’s style is very non physical on offense and that style instinctually is something that many in the Mississippi football think is a loser style.

There is a fine line IMO. There is a reason the Texas schools mostly stink compared to the talent they recruit, so there’s something to it. But Leach is obviously a winner

 

[Go Budaw]

Leach is one of a kind, for sure, but in a sense you just have people who like or don’t like a given hire….and they will dig in forever on either side as soon as they get that first data point that supports their position. Leach had way more people on both sides of that fence, given the very large sample size of his head coaching career compared to previous hires.

In Leach’s case, his supporters saw all they needed to see in that first game against LSU. His detractors saw all they needed to see the next week against Arkansas. In Moorhead’s case, nothing he did after that 2018 Kentucky game really mattered….his detractors wound up being right, but even if we beat UF the next week and finished 9-3, it would have been “well, we still should have been 10-2….blah blah blah.” Confirmation bias is just as alive and well in the sports world as it is in politics and all other walks of life.

 

[dog99walker]

I think Coach Leach is secure in himself. He is smart and knows what he wants. He’s never been a rah-rah, ‘win one for the gipper’ kind of guy.

He inherited a mess, post JoMo and the Mullen ‘bolt for bigger and better things.’ (How did that work out?). It will take a while, but and his staff have worked themselves to a better place this year, but they did it his way.

I think some State fans don’t like him, but he doesn’t care about that. He’ll let the results speak for themselves.

I like his quirkiness. I’m along for the ride. Hail State!

 

[The Peeper]

I don't have a hatred as you called it, but I'm not a fan of his either. I can't stand to watch the offense, I feel like I'm watching the Hugh Freeze 3 yd bubble screen offense, not the 3 yds and a cloud of dust run as someone called it. I don't care for the pirate gimmick angle or the way he wanders off topic or is repeatedly led off topic by the media trying to be funny. And the hacking/clearing the throat thing drives me insane as does the way he repeats himself all the time when answering a question. Hopefully he wins in the long run but for me he's just no fun to watch, but no hatred

 

[Mr. Cook]

...or resurrect the Veer, Wishbone, Wingbone, or West Coast offenses

 

[IBleedMaroonDawg]

I don't have a hatred as you called it, but I'm not a fan of his either. I can't stand to watch the offense, I feel like I'm watching the Hugh Freeze 3 yd bubble screen offense, not the 3 yds and a cloud of dust run as someone called it. I don't care for the pirate gimmick angle or the way he wanders off topic or is repeatedly led off topic by the media trying to be funny. And the hacking/clearing the throat thing drives me insane as does the way he repeats himself all the time when answering a question. Hopefully he wins in the long run but for me he's just no fun to watch, but no hatred

Yeah... 49 points, 20 + first downs, 3-1 time of possession and QB with 400+ yds and 5 TDs at Mississippi State against a decent opponent is no 17ing fun at all.

 

[Mr. Cook]

He doesn't win the award for "Presser Presence" like other young coaches currently in the SEC (Napier, Beamer) that's for sure -- but he doesn't need to, either. Those programs seemed to be in need of their style of youthful energy; Leach seems to be confident in what he doing and marches to the beat of different drum without creating unnecessary "bulletin board material"

For some elders who are huge Coach Sherrill advocates, Leach is sort of cut from a similiar fabric - so your question/statement is valid. If you embraced Sherrill's philospohies, the same courtesy should be extended to Leach, as it is a modern-day version of Sherrill approaches. We are on the right trajectory

 

[dickiedawg]

I don’t know if it’s hatred. There’s a reluctance to buy in, a question if this will ever work at MSU/in the SEC.
Four SEC coaches were hired prior to the 2020 season. 2 of the other 3 have easily outperformed him (and he’s 0-4 against those two coaches) and the other is basically a wash.
This season looks promising! Offense looked much better yesterday than last year. It remains to be seen if we can score on good teams. Memphis missed a ton of tackles that SEC teams aren’t going to miss.
The defense looked very good, especially in the first half. 29 yards of offense in a half is total domination. We gifted them the 3 points. I fell asleep before Memphis scored most of their points so I won’t comment on the second half.
This year will go a long way to getting people on board with Leach. The pieces are all in place for a good to great year. If that doesn’t happen… I just don’t know.

 

[CookieMonster.sixpack]

Does anyone remember our 10-7 win in the swamp against one of the worst Florida teams in recent memory? Because that was boring to watch.

 

[woozman]

It's just the old heads that want 3 yards and a cloud of dust.

Yep. We ran the ball for a 100-years and did it well for many of those. Some fans just can’t get past that we don’t do it any longer even though it never won us any major accomplishments.

 

[thatsbaseball]

Hate to say it but he's got to win some Egg Bowls to be beloved at State.

 

[Maroon Eagle]

Yep.

Mississippians can’t stand Outside Big Picture thinking. You got to do the same old thing because that’s the way it’s been done.

It applies to Sports, Business, & Life.

 

[Bill Shankly]

Obviously it’s not everyone, but there are some who just seem to despise the man. I’m not saying we should build a statue of the guy, I just don’t understand what he has done to garner such negative feelings. He’s odd, yes, but not in a malignant way. Someone enlighten me.

I don't have anything against him, but I hate his offense. It's the modern equivalent of three yards and a cloud of dust. It's just BORING.

 

[dawgoneyall]

There is definitely a Leach Derangement Syndrome among too many of our fans.

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and getting the same results....many of our fans want to keep doing the same thing we have been doing for over a hundred years and damn with the results.

Anyone who thinks we are going to out physical the bama's and georgia's and lsu's on a consistent basis is deranged.

 

[FlotownDawg]

What is boring about it and what exciting offense would you prefer to see us run? I’ll hang up and listen.

 

[UpTheMiddlex3Punt]

He's a nerd. Some people like that. Some people don't.

I like him.

 

[PirateDawg]

How can people "hate" an offense that controls the clock, can score in less than a minute and is top 30 in the country.

 

[maroonmadman]

Easy answer: Because some people are just ********.

 

[Smoked Toag]

I don't have anything against him, but I hate his offense. It's the modern equivalent of three yards and a cloud of dust. It's just BORING.

Talk about believing a lie. Come on, man. If there’s one thing this offense is not, it’s boring.

 

[Mobile Bay]

I like the guy.

But he needs to win Egg Bowls or work somewhere else.

 

[CookieMonster.sixpack]

I don't have anything against him, but I hate his offense. It's the modern equivalent of three yards and a cloud of dust. It's just BORING.

We scored 49 last night and left 14 on the table (the missed deep shot on 3rd and 3 in the 3rd quarter and the lateral fumble in the red zone). If that bores you, maybe football just isn’t for you.

 

[MSUDC11]

The odd thing to me is that he’s basically cut from the same cloth as everyone’s most beloved coach, Jackie Sherrill. Different kind of system and maybe more eccentric, but his coaching style and on field results over the years bear a lot of similarities to what JS did.

It’s also amazing to me that his wins in Baton Rouge, College Station, and Auburn mean virtually nothing to those that only see his Egg Bowl record. As if we win in those locations regularly.

 

[KingBarkus]

I don't have anything against him, but I hate his offense. It's the modern equivalent of three yards and a cloud of dust. It's just BORING.

I don’t get it. Was it boring blowing away a good NC State at home? Crushing Auburn on the road? When have ever done that? Getting robbed at Memphis and Arkansas. I don’t get it. Screw styles. I want to win.

 

[harrybollocks]

That's what makes me wonder about him. I don't hate the guy, but I'm not used to someone with so little intensity in public and an ability to look like he's unconcerned about winning. His age is also concerning. Do recruits like that personality? I've seen high school coaches get more animated. But, he clearly knows how to win and has a nice record as a head coach. I do miss the running game, but the Air Raid is fun to watch and outside of Alabama and Georgia, we compete with teams and have a good chance to win those games (I know, we almost beat GA a couple years ago). I like that because that wasn't the case with a lot of State teams. The team looked good last night. Maybe Arnett and others are enough to bring the intensity. It's one game but I'm expecting a good year.

 

[Leeshouldveflanked]

Hate to say it but he's got to win some Egg Bowls to be beloved at State.

^^^^This^^^^ plus his record is 12-13 at MSU.

 

[MSUDC11]

^^^^This^^^^ plus his record is 12-13 at MSU.

Which is skewed by an All SEC schedule in Year 1 when we were playing with like 50 guys for half the year.

 

[ckDOG]

Sounds made up.

I don't get the impression there are a bunch of leach haters out there...at least not any more than the baseline level of haters out there that will hate any coach regardless.

 

[Cooterpoot]

People are skeptical of the offense. Until he wins games, it won't change. Hell, it shouldn't change. He's paid a huge salary to win games. Last year would've been a big step but he lost to Memphis, OM, and looked like a fool in the bowl game. Guess how many State coaches started 0-3 vs OM. That's a death nail if he loses again.
Just win baby!

 

[thatsbaseball]

Very good point.

 

[eckie1]

I doubt he’ll be gone if he loses another Egg Bowl…

People are skeptical of the offense. Until he wins games, it won't change. Hell, it shouldn't change. He's paid a huge salary to win games. Last year would've been a big step but he lost to Memphis, OM, and looked like a fool in the bowl game. Guess how many State coaches started 0-3 vs OM. That's a death nail if he loses again.
Just win baby!

He’s not done well there, but his first one was a fluke. 14-point swing on a 99-yard fumble return that was the difference.

He’s a high dollar coach, and his system is no fluke. He’s at the best job he’s ever had and probably ever will have. Dabo Swinney was skull dragged by scar for 5 or 6 years in a row, and they stuck with him. Sometimes, you just have to be patient.

I know some people that hate Leach because he’s MAGA. I can’t say much, because former WBB coach was a woke piece of ****, and it made it easy for me to dislike her. Plus, she sucked.

I think we’ll have a nice season…. Btw, it’s “knell”.

 

[HailStout]

I don't get the impression there are a bunch of leach haters out there...at least not any more than the baseline level of haters out there that will hate any coach regardless.

This many be the correct answer. As always, it’s the vocal minority.

 

[woozman]

Hate to say it but he's got to win some Egg Bowls to be beloved at State.

Which is dumb. A lot of fans would be “okay” with 3-9 if one of the 3 were Ole Miss and be pissed with 9-3 if one of of the 3 were Ole Miss.

 

[was21]

Don't know of anyone who hates him. But he should keep his politics to himself if he's as smart as a lot of people say he is. This is particularly true in the state of Mississippi where some topics are lightening rods of controversy and where he recruits athletes to play football.

 

[tired]

I don’t hate him. I really have more of a business type feeling for him & respect that he’s been successful his way. Just get the job done & really don’t care what he talks about. The only time I don’t like the O is when he goes empty backfield. Having that rb to dump the ball off to is needed in this O. I think some want to see more emotions from him, but Jackie was like that and is beloved. I would like to see him beat OM this year, but if he wins 8-9 games and loses to them, I’m still on board

 

[ezsoil]

I don't have anything against him, but I hate his offense. It's the modern equivalent of three yards and a cloud of dust. It's just BORING.

Yeah converting on third downs is very boring to me.....