Mississippi State football honors Mike Leach with special signature and logo on their sidelines

The Mississippi State Bulldogs lost one of the all-time treasures in college football this offseason, their former head coach Mike Leach. His affinity for pirates was very well-known.

So, on Friday evening, the Bulldogs revealed they’d be honoring their legendary football coach with a special logo that includes a pirate logo inside a cowbell. Around the cowbell, they’ve got Leach’s signature painted in black.

Check it out below.

On the sideline tomorrow 🏴‍☠️
#HailState🏴‍☠️ pic.twitter.com/mtn9mpD79B

— Mississippi State Football (@HailStateFB) September 1, 2023

It’s a fitting tribute to the legendary head coach. It’s just one of the many different tributes that we’ve seen across the college football landscape and beyond.

Mississippi State has moved forward with Zach Arnett as their new head coach heading into the 2023 campaign. The Bulldogs return one of the most prolific passers in all of college football in Will Rogers. He’s shattered numerous records already throughout his career and will look to do even more of that in 2023.

The Bulldogs kick off their 2023 season on Saturday, Sept. 2, against Southeast Louisiana. That one is set for a 4:00 PM EST start time on the SEC Network.

College football loses a legendary head coach

Mississippi State head coach Mike Leach died after a medical situation that unfolded on Dec. 11 and was later identified as a massive heart attack. He was 61 years old.

According to the release from Mississippi State, Leach passed away from complications due to a heart condition on Monday night, December 12.

In a statement, the Leach family said: “Mike was a giving and attentive husband, father and grandfather. He was able to participate in organ donation at UMMC as a final act of charity. We are supported and uplifted by the outpouring of love and prayers from family, friends, Mississippi State University, the hospital staff, and football fans around the world.  Thank you for sharing in the joy of our beloved husband and father’s life.”  

A legendary career for Leach

Leach was the head coach of Mississippi State for just three seasons. He went a combined 19-17 in those three years and led the Bulldogs to a bowl game every season. The 2022 season, his final one in Starkville, he went 8-4, his best record with the Bulldogs. Mississippi State earned a berth in the ReliaQuest Bowl against Illinois.

Leach started his coaching career in 1987 as an offensive line coach for Cal Poly. Leach would coach at some smaller schools until 1997 when he got his first Power Five job as an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Kentucky. He would then leave for Oklahoma two years later for the same position.

After one season with the Sooners, Leach was hired as Texas Tech’s head coach. Leach put the Red Raiders on the map, winning nine games in just his third season. Leach would remain the head coach at Texas Tech for 10 years, going 84-43 and 5-4 in bowl games. He took Texas Tech to a 10^th bowl game in his final season but did not coach in it.

Following a few seasons out of coaching, Leach was hired by Washington State in 2012. Leach found strong success once again as a head coach, going 55-47 and making it to six bowl games in eight seasons with the Cougars. After that time, he was hired by Mississippi State.

On3’s Riley Gates also contributed to this article.