Remembering Mike Leach, His Legacy In College Football

Mississippi State University confirmed head football coach Mike Leach died Monday night following complications of a heart condition.

The 61-year-old spent a season with the Sooners as offensive coordinator under Head Coach Bob Stoops, and while it was brief, those who watched it say it was impactful. In a career that spanned more than 3 decades, Coach Mike Leach rarely lacked words.

It was his wide-open personality that drew many in, but it was his tightly-tuned football mind that brought the best in players out. One of his most distinguished accomplishments was perfecting the “Air-Raid Offense” which changed the game of college football.

“It was the most amazing hour I spent with a coach,” recalls News 9 Sports Director Dean Blevins. He refers to the time he sat down with Leach to learn about that offense. It wasn’t where he expected.

“He says hey let’s go across the street to this place called O’Connell’s. It’d be more expressive,” he says he didn’t expect what came next. “He had me move tables and chairs, brought over a couple of waitresses -had them stand in as linebackers and safety.”

His time in Norman was short, but his impact was long-lasting. He took the 11th-place offense in the Big 12 to the top spot in 1999.

“I think he did more in one season than anyone in OU Football history,” Blevins explains. “He turned around the offense which allowed the winning and he started the quarterback run.”

That run began by bringing in a Quarterback out of Snow College in Utah. Soon after, Josh Heupel would lead Oklahoma to a BCS National Title. On Tuesday, tributes began pouring in from across the state and across the nation. They were memories and moments from a man with no college football playing experience, a law degree, and a love of pirates. He was a coach who shaped the modern landscape.

“He was so creative,” says Blevins. “His system of playcalling was as odd as his personality and people just couldn’t keep up with it.

For those who loved the coach who rarely lacked words, perhaps the most difficult to say is goodbye.