Saturday Blitz
Fansided

Washington State Football: 5 reasons why college football needs Mike Leach

By Justin Dottavio

EUGENE, OR - OCTOBER 10: Head coach Mike Leach of the Washington State Cougars looks up at the video screen during the third quarter of the game against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium on October 10, 2015 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
EUGENE, OR - OCTOBER 10: Head coach Mike Leach of the Washington State Cougars looks up at the video screen during the third quarter of the game against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium on October 10, 2015 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 5
Next
EUGENE, OR – OCTOBER 10: Head coach Mike Leach of the Washington State Cougars looks up at the video screen during the third quarter of the game against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium on October 10, 2015 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
EUGENE, OR – OCTOBER 10: Head coach Mike Leach of the Washington State Cougars looks up at the video screen during the third quarter of the game against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium on October 10, 2015 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images) /

4. Mike Leach’s honesty

If anything, Mike Leach is honest. He’s himself in all of his weird glory. He referred to his Cougars as a JUCO softball team. His endless rambling brings out so many truths you’d never know about any other coach, stuff like how many different ways he walks to work, whether his neighbors are nice, that he’s learning the Spanish language.

As a matter of fact, the entire Seattle Times article by Larry Stone titled “The Bishop and The Pirate” is worth a full read, mainly for David Shaw over anyone else. Shaw seems to find Mr. Leach extremely humorous but obviously thinks of him as a quirky neighbor like Kramer from Seinfeld. Leach may bust in Shaw’s door and just eat a bite of an apple and put the rest back.

Related Story: CFL Says Hamilton Can't Hire Art Briles

But with Leach you’re getting a flat honesty, not the coach-speak so many other coaches throw out there. You’re not getting pre-determined one-liners about good practice, or scoring more points. You’re getting exactly what he’s thinking.

In Larry Stone’s article from the Seattle Times, Leach said, “Like a lot of us, I grew up with my parents telling me, ‘Why can’t you be more like a guy like Chris Petersen?’”

This is part charming and part funny, but all honest. Petersen is “normal” and clean cut, Leach is messy and socially awkward. If his team is playing well, you’ll know. If they’re playing poorly, you’re sure to know. You can always tell when Leach has had a good game because his more quippy than agitatedly insulting.

Home/Washington State Cougars