History of Mike Leach (American football coach) in Timeline
Mike Leach, nicknamed "the Pirate," was a prominent American college football coach known for pioneering the "Air Raid" offense. He achieved significant success at Texas Tech, becoming their all-time winningest coach. He also coached at Washington State and Mississippi State. Leach earned recognition as a two-time national coach of the year and three-time conference coach of the year. His innovative offensive strategies and charismatic personality made him a notable figure in college football.
March 9, 1961: Mike Leach's Birth
On March 9, 1961, Michael Charles Leach was born. He later became a prominent college football coach.
1975: Earned rank of Eagle Scout
In 1975, while growing up in Cody, Wyoming, Mike Leach earned the rank of Eagle in Boy Scout Troop 58.
1976: Cody Plays in State Championship
In 1976, while Mike Leach was a student, Cody High School played in the top division state championship and won against Laramie Plainsmen.
1979: Graduation from Cody High School
In 1979, Mike Leach graduated from Cody High School, where he played football from 1975 to 1978.
1983: Graduation from BYU
In 1983, Mike Leach graduated from BYU with a bachelor's degree in American studies.
1986: Juris Doctor from Pepperdine University
In 1986, Mike Leach earned a Juris Doctor from Pepperdine University School of Law in Malibu, California.
1987: Assistant Coach at Cal Poly
In 1987, Mike Leach began his coaching career as an assistant at Cal Poly.
1988: Master of Sports Science
In 1988, Mike Leach earned a Master of Sports Science in sports coaching from the United States Sports Academy in Daphne, Alabama.
1988: Assistant Coach at College of the Desert
In 1988, Mike Leach worked as an assistant at College of the Desert, furthering his coaching career.
1989: Offensive Coordinator at Iowa Wesleyan University
In 1989, Mike Leach joined Hal Mumme's staff at Iowa Wesleyan University as offensive coordinator, beginning a partnership known for developing the air raid offense.
1989: Head Coach of Pori Bears
In 1989, Mike Leach served as head coach of the Pori Bears in the American Football Association of Finland.
1992: Moves to Valdosta State
In 1992, Mike Leach and Hal Mumme moved to Valdosta State to continue their partnership.
1996: Remains at Valdosta State
In 1996, Mike Leach remained at Valdosta State.
1997: Moves to Kentucky
In 1997, Mike Leach and Hal Mumme moved to Kentucky to continue their partnership and develop the air raid offense.
1997: First time sweeping in-state rivals
In 1997, Texas Tech first swept its in-state conference rivals Baylor, Texas, and Texas A&M, and then they achieved this again in 2002.
1998: Best start since 1998
In 1998, Tech achieved their best start since 1998, and then in 2005 they started their season with a 6-0 record, their best start since that.
1998: Oklahoma's Offense Ranking
In 1998, before Mike Leach joined the staff, Oklahoma's offense ranked 11th in the Big 12 Conference.
1999: Joined Oklahoma coaching staff
In 1999, Mike Leach joined the Oklahoma staff under head coach Bob Stoops, improving the team's offense to first in the Big 12 Conference.
2002: Nine-win Season and Tangerine Bowl victory
In 2002, Mike Leach led the Red Raiders to a nine-win season, swept in-state rivals, and won the Tangerine Bowl against Clemson, marking their first postseason win since 1995.
2004: Upset of California in Holiday Bowl
In 2004, Mike Leach's Red Raiders, led by Sonny Cumbie, upset the then-4th ranked California in the Holiday Bowl.
2005: Red Raiders' 6-0 Start
In 2005, Mike Leach coached the Red Raiders to a 6-0 start, their best since 1998.
2005: Come-from-Behind Win over Kansas State
In 2005, Mike Leach's Red Raiders had a come-from-behind win over Kansas State, winning 59-20 after trailing 13-10.
2006: QB Graham Harrell Improvment
In 2006, Mike Leach's Red Raiders showed steady improvement beginning with the game against Iowa State.
November 13, 2007: Big 12 Fine
On November 13, 2007, Mike Leach was fined $10,000 by the Big 12, the largest fine in Big 12 history, for his comments about officiating.
2007: Nine-win Season
In 2007, Mike Leach led the Red Raiders to another nine-win season.
2007: Coaching the South Team
In 2007, Mike Leach was chosen to coach the South team during the inaugural Inta Juice North–South All-Star Classic game.
2007: Criticism of Officiating after Texas Loss
In 2007, after a loss against Texas, Mike Leach criticized the officiating crew, speculating bias towards Texas, incompetence, or conference motives.
December 2, 2008: Big 12 Coach of the Year
On December 2, 2008, Mike Leach was named the Big 12 Coach of the Year by the Associated Press.
2008: 76-39 Record with the Red Raiders
By the end of the 2008 season, Mike Leach had a 76–39 record with the Red Raiders and was the all-time winningest coach in postseason play in Tech football history.
2008: Gator Bowl Joking Comment
Following the 2008 Gator Bowl, Mike Leach joked about officiating, referencing his previous fine and charitable ham donation.
2008: Eleven-win Season
In 2008, Mike Leach led the Red Raiders to an eleven-win season.
February 2009: Contract Extension with Texas Tech
In February 2009, Mike Leach signed a three-year contract extension with Texas Tech that would have paid him at least $2.5 million per year through 2013.
December 28, 2009: Suspension by Texas Tech
On December 28, 2009, Mike Leach was suspended indefinitely by Texas Tech pending an investigation into alleged inappropriate treatment of Adam James.
2009: Missed bonus
In 2009, Mike Leach was going to miss an $800,000 tenure bonus and over $1,700,000 for contractual guaranteed income for 2009.
January 8, 2010: Leach files suit against Texas Tech
On January 8, 2010, Mike Leach formally filed suit against Texas Tech for wrongful termination and other claims, alleging he was fired without cause and defamed to prevent him from being hired elsewhere.
May 2010: District Judge dismisses most of Leach's claims
In May 2010, a District Judge dismissed all but one of Leach's claims against Texas Tech, citing sovereign immunity. However, the claim for breach of contract was allowed to proceed. Adam James admitted he found the closet incident 'funny'.
August 2010: Leach Joins CBS College Sports Network
In August 2010, Mike Leach joined CBS College Sports Network as a color analyst, working alongside play-by-play announcer Roger Twibell.
2010: Leach co-hosts College Football Playbook
In 2010, Mike Leach joined Jack Arute to co-host "College Football Playbook" on SiriusXM College Sports Nation Channel 91, which aired weekdays.
2010: Leach Considered for Head Coaching Vacancies
In 2010, Mike Leach was considered a candidate for head coaching vacancies at the University of Miami, University of Maryland, and University of Minnesota. He was a frontrunner for the Maryland job but the administration decided to hire Randy Edsall instead.
2010: Firing from Texas Tech
In 2010, Mike Leach was fired from Texas Tech for "a defiant act of insubordination" after refusing to apologize to Adam James.
November 30, 2011: Leach Agrees to Terms with Washington State
On November 30, 2011, Mike Leach agreed to terms with Washington State, starting as coach for the 2012 season. His five-year contract made him the fourth-highest paid coach in the Pac-12.
2011: Leach Releases Autobiographical Book
In 2011, Mike Leach released his autobiographical book, "Swing Your Sword: Leading the Charge in Football and in Life", which debuted at number six on The New York Times Best Seller list.
February 2012: Texas Supreme Court denies Leach's petition
In February 2012, the Texas Supreme Court denied Mike Leach's petition for review regarding his case against Texas Tech. Following the denial, Texas Tech's attorney stated that the court affirmed the university's position on the law and the facts.
2012: Leach begins coaching at Washington State
Mike Leach began coaching at Washington State for the 2012 season after agreeing to terms with Washington State on November 30, 2011.
November 18, 2013: Leach Receives Contract Extension
On November 18, 2013, Mike Leach received a 2-year contract extension after leading the Washington State Cougars to their best record since 2006.
2013: Cougars invited to New Mexico Bowl
In 2013, Mike Leach led WSU to a 6–6 regular season that had them bowl eligible for the first time in a decade. The Cougars were invited to the New Mexico Bowl in Albuquerque, losing to the Colorado State Rams. Leach received a pay raise for the Cougars' 2013 performance.
2016: Cougars Finish Season 8-5
In 2016, led by Luke Falk, Washington State rallied off eight consecutive wins before dropping their final two games. They landed in the Holiday Bowl in San Diego where they lost to Minnesota of the Big Ten. WSU finished the season with an overall record of 8–5.
2017: Cougars Finish 9-4 Overall
In 2017, Washington State was 6–3 in the Pac-12 and 9–3 overall. They were again invited to the Holiday Bowl where they lost to Michigan State and finished 9–4 overall.
2018: Cougars Win School Record-Tying Ten Games
In 2018, Leach recruited graduate transfer Gardner Minshew and the Cougars won a school record-tying ten games. They were invited to the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio where they won for a school record 11th win.
2019: Leach Co-Taught Seminar at Washington State
During the spring of 2019, Mike Leach co-taught a five-week seminar at Washington State, "Insurgent Warfare and Football Strategies," alongside Washington politician Michael Baumgartner.
2019: Cougars Finish Season 6-7
In 2019, Mike Leach led Washington State to a 6–7 record. The Cougars lost to unranked UCLA and ended the regular season with Leach's seventh consecutive Apple Cup loss to Washington.
January 9, 2020: Leach Agrees to be Head Coach of Mississippi State
On January 9, 2020, Mike Leach agreed to be the head coach of the Mississippi State Bulldogs, with a reported annual salary of $5 million.
2021: Bulldogs Qualify for Liberty Bowl
In the 2021 regular season, Leach led the Bulldogs to a 7–5 record. They qualified for the Liberty Bowl, where they lost to Texas Tech.
December 11, 2022: Leach Hospitalized in Critical Condition
On December 11, 2022, Mike Leach experienced a health issue and was hospitalized in Jackson, Mississippi. Reports indicated he was in critical condition after suffering a massive heart attack and seizures. He died the following day.
December 12, 2022: Mike Leach's Death
On December 12, 2022, Mike Leach passed away. He was the head coach at Mississippi State University at the time of his death.
2022: Bulldogs Record Ranked Victories
In the 2022 regular season, Mike Leach led the Bulldogs to an 8–4 record. The Bulldogs recorded ranked victories over Texas A&M and Ole Miss. Leach died before the team's bowl game.
Mentioned in this timeline
The United States of America is a federal republic located...
CBS is a major American commercial broadcast television and radio...
California is the most populous US state located on the...
College football is a popular amateur sport in the United...
An apple is a widely cultivated round edible fruit from...
Football is a family of team sports centered around kicking...
Trending
9 days ago California's Great America Theme Park Set to Close After Thrilling Decades by 2027
6 days ago Harry Styles Launches New Fragrance, Fuels One Direction Reunion Rumors at Glastonbury.
Pennsylvania is a U S state located in the Mid-Atlantic Northeastern Appalachian and Great Lakes regions It shares borders with...
3 months ago Pacoima House Explosion: Man Injured, Homes Evacuated Due to Fireworks
20 days ago Damson Idris stars in immersive F1 movie trailer with Brad Pitt.
2 months ago Rachel McAdams potentially cutting ties with Hollywood, lists LA home for $4 million.
Popular
Jupiter is the fifth and largest planet from the Sun...
A blue moon is defined in several ways most commonly...
Candace Owens is an American conservative and far-right political commentator...
Thom Tillis is the senior U S Senator from North...
Jeff Bezos is an American businessman renowned as the founder...
Kelley O'Hara is a celebrated American former professional soccer player...