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Mississippi State

Mississippi State announces 'Mike Leach Endowed Scholarship' for late Bulldogs coach

IMG_6598by:Nick Kosko•12/15/22•

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(Photo by Jeffrey Vest/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Mississippi State announced an endowed scholarship for late head coach Mike Leach. Leach, 61, passed away earlier this week. The university announced the scholarship in the coach’s memory.

“Leach arrived in Starkville on January 9, 2020, as Mississippi State’s 34th head football coach,” a statement from the school read. “He led the Bulldogs to a 19-17 record, including an 8-4 mark in 2022, and bowl appearances in all three seasons. Leach’s offense led the SEC passing in each of the last two seasons. The Bulldogs defeated seven AP Top 25 opponents during Leach’s MSU tenure, which tied for third most by a Bulldog head coach.

“Leach coached MSU to its two largest comebacks in program history in 2021. Forever a college football icon, he leaves an incredible legacy as a husband, father, friend and leader of young men.”

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 10th 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.