Mike Leach hired at MSU; already entertaining the masses

Bait'n Gator

Go away..... bait'n
Lifetime Member
Mar 14, 2015
3,366
14,179
I doubt very many Florida fans are fearful of facing a Leach coached team. I'm a huge Leach fan because his personality, not his coaching acumen. Him being at MSU is a lot like when Mullen was there, it's easy to pull for him cause it's not very often them succeeding has any effect at all on Florida. Also his games will be played before midnight now so it'll be a lot easier to watch. I think it's a perfect fit.
 

BMF

Bad Mother....
Lifetime Member
Sep 8, 2014
25,399
59,221
I doubt very many Florida fans are fearful of facing a Leach coached team. I'm a huge Leach fan because his personality, not his coaching acumen. Him being at MSU is a lot like when Mullen was there, it's easy to pull for him cause it's not very often them succeeding has any effect at all on Florida. Also his games will be played before midnight now so it'll be a lot easier to watch. I think it's a perfect fit.

Have you read the Athletic article about Leach's first year/first staff at TT? Absolutely great read!
 

Okeechobee Joe

Lost Ball in High Grass
Lifetime Member
Oct 5, 2014
7,088
16,032
I've never really understood all the Leach love. I don't think this is going to be a good hire for Mississippi State. He had a really great season at Wash State where he won 11 games but he also had several mediocre seasons. Dan Mullen is now the standard that Mississippi State coaches are going to be held to. Joe Moorhead followed Mullen and the program was seen to be in decline. He was fired. Now it's Leach's turn.

I know at best State is going to be a 7 - 5, maybe 8 - 4, program at best with every once in a while maybe 9 or 10 wins. There's also going to be 6 -6 and 5 - 7 seasons. As long as State wins the State folks will accept Leach and get a kick out of his antics. But the SEC is not the Big 12 or the PAC 12 . The Air Raid offense did pretty good at those outposts but the SEC is a different row to hoe. And the culture at Mississippi State for years even before Dan Mullen has been to run the football and play a hard nose style of ball. The saying for years has been you might be State but you know when you played them you were going to be hit hard. Florida, as well as anybody, knows that from first hand experience.

Mississippi is a place where everybody knows everybody. The sportswriters all over the state know the coaches and vice versa. Leach can be awfully sarcastic and if he is losing then his sarcasm is not going to go over well in Mississippi. In Mississippi you have to be available to the media. You have to go to alumni events and mix and mingle with the boosters. The way I read Leach is that he doesn't like the politicking that goes with being an SEC head coach. He's sort of an odd ball that makes good national press but he's in a handshaking "yes sir" crowd now.

We have seen where in the past Leach has thrown his players under the bus after a loss. He has called his Washington State team fat, lazy, and entitled. Well whose fault was that? Why didn't Leach as the head coach mold them into something different? Describing your players that way doesn't go over well in Mississippi or anywhere else for that matter.

Leach at 58 years old looks over the hill to me. He is the one who looks fat, lazy, and bewildered. Coaches don't have to enjoy going to media and alumni events, but down south you've got to at least look like you do. If he doesn't win at State I can see this all ending very badly because expectations are really high right now.
 

78

Founding Member
Dazed and Confused
Lifetime Member
Jun 9, 2014
19,745
27,635
Founding Member
People love Leach for the same reason they love Charles Barkley. He’s funny and he scores points.
 

GatorJB

Founding Member
Senior Member
Lifetime Member
Jun 12, 2014
3,449
6,124
Founding Member
I've never really understood all the Leach love. I don't think this is going to be a good hire for Mississippi State. He had a really great season at Wash State where he won 11 games but he also had several mediocre seasons. Dan Mullen is now the standard that Mississippi State coaches are going to be held to. Joe Moorhead followed Mullen and the program was seen to be in decline. He was fired. Now it's Leach's turn.

I know at best State is going to be a 7 - 5, maybe 8 - 4, program at best with every once in a while maybe 9 or 10 wins. There's also going to be 6 -6 and 5 - 7 seasons. As long as State wins the State folks will accept Leach and get a kick out of his antics. But the SEC is not the Big 12 or the PAC 12 . The Air Raid offense did pretty good at those outposts but the SEC is a different row to hoe. And the culture at Mississippi State for years even before Dan Mullen has been to run the football and play a hard nose style of ball. The saying for years has been you might be State but you know when you played them you were going to be hit hard. Florida, as well as anybody, knows that from first hand experience.

Mississippi is a place where everybody knows everybody. The sportswriters all over the state know the coaches and vice versa. Leach can be awfully sarcastic and if he is losing then his sarcasm is not going to go over well in Mississippi. In Mississippi you have to be available to the media. You have to go to alumni events and mix and mingle with the boosters. The way I read Leach is that he doesn't like the politicking that goes with being an SEC head coach. He's sort of an odd ball that makes good national press but he's in a handshaking "yes sir" crowd now.

We have seen where in the past Leach has thrown his players under the bus after a loss. He has called his Washington State team fat, lazy, and entitled. Well whose fault was that? Why didn't Leach as the head coach mold them into something different? Describing your players that way doesn't go over well in Mississippi or anywhere else for that matter.

Leach at 58 years old looks over the hill to me. He is the one who looks fat, lazy, and bewildered. Coaches don't have to enjoy going to media and alumni events, but down south you've got to at least look like you do. If he doesn't win at State I can see this all ending very badly because expectations are really high right now.

True, Leach is at best going to lead them to a bunch of bowl games, but it's not like MSU has ever been an SEC division winner in the last 20 years. For a school like them, relevancy is more important than division titles. With Kiffin now in MS, Ole Miss was going to get a lot of extra attention from the national media. This move ensures that MSU stays relevant in the state and gets national media exposure that they normally wouldn't get.

Not only that, but offense sells tickets and gets you better tv coverage. Even if you only finish 7-5, scoring points means closer, more entertaining games, which leads to more outside interest (relevancy).
 

Theologator

Enchanter
Lifetime Member
Aug 11, 2015
8,248
15,806
Leach is a weirdo no doubt.

And one of Gotham’s most sinister villains.

52f4f3547e4b24281cb6440c716b3ac5.jpg
 

BMF

Bad Mother....
Lifetime Member
Sep 8, 2014
25,399
59,221
Mississippi State: Mike Leach is expected to bring at least running backs coach Eric Mele, offensive line coach Mason Miller, outside receivers coach Steve Spurrier Jr. and outside linebackers/special teams coach Matt Brock to Mississippi State from Washington State
 

Ancient Reptile

Senior Member
Mar 4, 2015
10,796
11,119
Mississippi State: Mike Leach is expected to bring at least running backs coach Eric Mele, offensive line coach Mason Miller, outside receivers coach Steve Spurrier Jr. and outside linebackers/special teams coach Matt Brock to Mississippi State from Washington State
If Mele doesn't come, I have an idea where he could find a RB coach who already has MSU experience.
 

Swamp Donkey

Founding Member
7-14 vs P5 Fire Stricklin First
Lifetime Member
Jun 9, 2014
78,161
109,975
Founding Member
Back to Judge. Just finished reading a CBS Sports account of how Belichick may have pumped Judge for the Giants opening as part of an effort to block McDaniels from talking to other teams. .
I cant imagine this not making it pretty damn hard for him to hire new staff.

Odd play.
 

Swamp Donkey

Founding Member
7-14 vs P5 Fire Stricklin First
Lifetime Member
Jun 9, 2014
78,161
109,975
Founding Member
Question for the board: how would we have felt if Leach had gone to FSU?
Mehhh... he is alot like Mullinz. OK playcaller, not great. He scores more points but his has never heard of defense and doesnt care to, so Inguess it evens out. Below average recruiter. Never going to win anything.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Help Users

You haven't joined any rooms.