Spurrier credits Washington for blueprint on stopping Mike Leach

[AuggieDosta]

When Mike Leach was the helm of Washington State from 2012-2019, the Apple Cup routinely proved to be an Achilles Heel for the "Pirate" and his classic air-raid scheme. While putting up points in a hurry was often no problem for Leach-coached Cougars teams, in-state rival Washington learned from a 31-28 loss to Washington State in 2012, winning all seven of the remaining matchups against Leach in the series and never allowing more than 17 points to the Cougars.

Of course, Leach no longer has to worry about encountering the Huskies on Thanksgiving Weekend every year having made the jump to Mississippi State this offseason. But even more than 2,000 miles away from Pullman now, there's a case to be made that the struggles against Washington may still haunt him in the SEC. The hype for Leach and Mississippi State that came after a 44-34 win at defending national champion LSU in Week 1 crashed hard in Week 2 as the Bulldogs fell at home to an Arkansas program that hadn't won an SEC game since 2017, and one retired SEC coaching legend believes that the Razorbacks may have pulled a page out of Washington's playbook in stifling Leach's attack.

Steve Spurrier, the longtime former coach at both Florida and South Carolina, joined SEC Network in the aftermath of the Mississippi State-Arkansas game, and couldn't help but notice how resemblant Arkansas' coverage on Saturday was to what Washington used against Leach over the years. While only time will tell if others can replicate it as well, Spurrier said he expects the same defensive scheme to be common among the Bulldogs' opponents going forward after Mississippi State's offense torched LSU for more than 600 passing yards in Leach's SEC debut.

You can continue reading this at 247 if you choose.

 

[RocketCityGator]

When Mike Leach was the helm of Washington State from 2012-2019, the Apple Cup routinely proved to be an Achilles Heel for the "Pirate" and his classic air-raid scheme. While putting up points in a hurry was often no problem for Leach-coached Cougars teams, in-state rival Washington learned from a 31-28 loss to Washington State in 2012, winning all seven of the remaining matchups against Leach in the series and never allowing more than 17 points to the Cougars.

Of course, Leach no longer has to worry about encountering the Huskies on Thanksgiving Weekend every year having made the jump to Mississippi State this offseason. But even more than 2,000 miles away from Pullman now, there's a case to be made that the struggles against Washington may still haunt him in the SEC. The hype for Leach and Mississippi State that came after a 44-34 win at defending national champion LSU in Week 1 crashed hard in Week 2 as the Bulldogs fell at home to an Arkansas program that hadn't won an SEC game since 2017, and one retired SEC coaching legend believes that the Razorbacks may have pulled a page out of Washington's playbook in stifling Leach's attack.

Steve Spurrier, the longtime former coach at both Florida and South Carolina, joined SEC Network in the aftermath of the Mississippi State-Arkansas game, and couldn't help but notice how resemblant Arkansas' coverage on Saturday was to what Washington used against Leach over the years. While only time will tell if others can replicate it as well, Spurrier said he expects the same defensive scheme to be common among the Bulldogs' opponents going forward after Mississippi State's offense torched LSU for more than 600 passing yards in Leach's SEC debut.

You can continue reading this at 247 if you choose.

Saw this somewhere else too. And after hearing about this, I'll have a hard time picking them to win anything.

 

[AuggieDosta]

Agreed!

#Gator Bait

 

[AuggieDosta]

Looks like this is now a continuing trend vs the Air Raid that coaches are using and Leach appears to not be willing to adapt.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

Sos & Stoopsy had their own plan when he was w Mumme at Kintuck. Theyd make three catches and still be third and four. it was all sideways or very very short passing. safeties came up and they flooded the zones.

Same game plan everyone used vs Mullinz too, until this year.