Skip to main content
florida logo

Steve Spurrier remembers Mike Leach, who coached with his son

On3 imageby:Zach Abolverdi•12/13/22•

ZachAbolverdi

On3 image
Steve Spurrier visits with Mike Leach at an MSU practice in October 2020. (Photo by Dave Emerick)

Steve Spurrier opened his weekly podcast Tuesday by the remembering the late Mike Leach. The Mississippi State coach passed away Monday night following complications from a heart condition. He was 61 years old.

Spurrier’s son, Steve Spurrier Jr., served as Leach’s receivers coach at Washington State (2018-19) and MSU (2020-present).

“It’s always sad when a coach, a good friend, passes away,” Spurrier said of Leach on his Inside The Huddle show. “And my son Steve Jr., you know, worked for him at Washington State and at Mississippi State. And they had a recruiting get together Saturday. I think they practiced a little bit and he said he seemed pretty well. Not too bad. He had sort of bronchitis or pneumonia late in the season, but he got through the games and I think he went home Saturday night and must have had a heart attack, I guess. His wife called 911 and they flew in by helicopter to Jackson, but it was too late to save him.”

Leach logged a 158-107 overall record in 22 seasons as a head coach Mississippi State, Washington State and Texas Tech. Like Spurrier, who revolutionized college football with his Fun ‘N’ Gun offense, Leach put his stamp on the game by developing the ‘Air Raid’ offense with Hal Mumme.

“Let me tell you what I like about Mike Leach: he did his own thing,” Spurrier said. “Now he has a different offense. Everybody doesn’t agree with it, but he has been successful. He’s won right around 60 percent of his games at Texas Tech, Washington State and now Mississippi State. So, he’s never coached one of those places that has all the ballplayers and this, that and the other.”

Spurrier’s son, Steve Jr., coached with his father at South Carolina and with the Washington Redskins before first joining Leach’s staff at Washington State. Whenever Spurrier visited Pullman or Starkville to see Steve Jr., Leach would ask him to address his teams.

“Every time I went the day before the game, he’d say, ‘Coach Spurrier, let me introduce you and say a few words to the team.’ And I tried to do that all the time, too. Bobby Stoops or whoever showed up to watch practice, I’d say come over and say a few words to the team. And when you admire and respect another coach, I think that’s something you should do. And he always did that when I was there,” Spurrier said.

Along with his offense and hospitality, Spurrier appreciated Leach’s unique personality, memorable press conferences and swing your sword mantra. The HBC was also fascinated by Leach’s interests outside of football.

“He was a wonderful guy,” Spurrier said. “Lived in Key West, wrote books about Geronimo, the Indian chief. I mean, he studied his history. The Pirates, I think Bluebeard, was one of his favorite guys also. So, he was a different coach, but he certainly was very successful. It seemed like his players love playing for him and it was sad for the whole sports world really.”

You may also like