Mack Brown sends touching message in remembrance of Mike Leach
Everybody in the college football world respected Mike Leach, even if they should have been rivals on the field. Spanning across three different conferences as a head coach, Leach’s tragic passing this week has brought out stories and fond memories of hanging out with the Pirate.
North Carolina head coach Mack Brown was the latest, sending out a touching message to remember Leach. Brown said the two of them were friends, despite going to battle at Texas and Texas Tech for many years. As he will be across the country, Leach will be missed by Brown.
“Have a ton going on but thinking about my friend, Mike,” Brown said. “He was so much fun every minute of every day. He always made me think, then laugh, then think some more. He is missed.”
Leach spent 10 seasons in Lubbock with Texas Tech, facing Brown at Texas in all of them. All but two went in favor of the current North Carolina headman but the wins were memorable for Leach. Of course, the 2008 game, where the Longhorns were ranked No. 1, lives famously.
The two eventually left the Big 12 Conference, with Leach heading for Washington State and eventually Mississippi State. Brown spent a brief time retired because heading back to take over the North Carolina program. There were no matchups between the coaching duo after moving on.
Even before being a head coach, Leach was a thorn in the side of Brown as the Oklahoma offensive coordinator. The two go back a long way on the football field, although they were always opponents. But Brown will remember Leach as a friend and all of the laughter he brought.
Mississippi State announces public memorial ceremony for Mike Leach
The Mississippi State state community will get a chance to come together and mourn the loss of late Bulldogs head coach Mike Leach next Tuesday at Humphrey Coliseum. The school announced the memorial ceremony, open to the public, will begin at 1 p.m. CST with doors opening an hour before.
Leach died on Tuesday due to complications from a heart condition after dealing with pneumonia throughout the season. He was hospitalized over the weekend. He was 61.
Along with being open for the public to attend in-person, the ceremony will also be streamed vis ESPN.
Further details about speakers, day-of parking and streaming will come available shortly according to a press release announcing the memorial.