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Washington State Football: Top 3 coaches to replace Mike Leach

By Matthew Bartlett

PULLMAN, WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 16: Fans for the Washington State Cougars during the game against the Stanford Cardinals at Martin Stadium on November 16, 2019 in Pullman, Washington. Washington State defeats Stanford 49-22. (Photo by William Mancebo/Getty Images)
PULLMAN, WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 16: Fans for the Washington State Cougars during the game against the Stanford Cardinals at Martin Stadium on November 16, 2019 in Pullman, Washington. Washington State defeats Stanford 49-22. (Photo by William Mancebo/Getty Images) /
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Washington State football needs a new head coach. With Mike Leach headed to Mississippi State, here are three men the Cougars should target.

After an eight-year run in Pullman, Mike Leach is headed to the SEC. The Pirate’s departure from Washington State leaves a leadership void the football program will move quickly to fill. Leach has entertained offers previously, but never made the move. Now the Cougars find themselves in the midst of the coaching carousel looking for their next head man.

Leach went 55-47 as Washington State. His best year came in 2018 when he won 11-games and finished in the Top 10 in the AP Poll. He made the Cougars a perennial bowl team by the end of his tenure and will be hard to replace.

Washington State atheltic director Patrick Chun will have many conversations over the coming days. Before he gets there, he has an important decision to make regarding what sort of identity he wants his football program to have. Maintaining the Air Raid or moving towards a more conventional system will dictate who he ultimately ends up hiring to replace someone who rant it arguably better than anyone else.

Keeping Leach at Washington State for as long as he did was a great achievement for Chun. Now it’s time to find his successor. Here are three names that should be at the very top of his list.

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