Mike Leach, the head football coach at Mississippi State University, has died, the school announced in a statement. He was 61.
Leach died on Monday, Dec. 12, following his hospitalization over the weekend for health complications associated with a heart condition, according to the university. In remarks shared with Mississippi State, Leach’s family paid tribute to him as a husband, father and grandfather, as well as his career and rise to prominence within the college sports arena.
“Mike was a giving and attentive husband, father and grandfather,” the family said, noting that Leech became an organ donor and described the donation as “a final act of charity.”
“We are supported and uplifted by the outpouring of love and prayers from family, friends, Mississippi State University, the hospital staff, and football fans around the world,” the family continued. “Thank you for sharing in the joy of our beloved husband and father’s life.”
Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images
Leach was admitted on Sunday to the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, Mississippi, due to an incident at his home in Starkville that Mississippi State initially described as a “personal health issue.“
By Monday, the university reported that Leach’s condition remained critical, although it did not provide details about the specific medical concerns preceding his hospitalization until the latest announcement confirming his death.
“Mike’s family is with him and appreciates the overwhelming expressions of love and support for the coach, but also requests that their family’s privacy be respected at this time,” the university said on Monday afternoon. “That is the extent of information that MSU has available regarding Coach Leach’s condition, and the university will make no other comment at this time.”
News of Leach’s hospitalization prompted a wave of supportive messages on social media from the coach’s colleagues, including head football coaches at University of Houston, University of Alabama, Louisiana State University and University of Southern California.
Leach led the Mississippi State Bulldogs through nearly three full seasons, having joined the team in the fall of 2020. After his hospitalization over the weekend, the university announced that its defensive coordinator, Zach Arnett, would replace Leach as head coach in an interim role until his return. It is not clear whether Arnett will now fulfill the position for a longer term.
Rogelio V. Solis / AP
In its Tuesday announcement, Mississippi State called Leech an icon and “one of the most successful coaches in the history of college football,” highlighting his track record of mentorship that helped steer a number of other coaches through the early stages of their own ultimately successful careers.
“Coach Mike Leach cast a tremendous shadow not just over Mississippi State University, but over the entire college football landscape,” said Mark Keenum, the president of Mississippi State. “His innovative ‘Air Raid’ offense changed the game. Mike’s keen intellect and unvarnished candor made him one of the nation’s true coaching legends. His passing brings great sadness to our university, to the Southeastern Conference, and to all who loved college football.”
Born on March 9, 1961, in Susanville, California, Leach was raised in Cody, Wyoming, as the oldest of six siblings. After graduating from Brigham Young University, where he played on the rugby team, in 1983, Leach went on to earn a master’s degree at the U.S. Sports Academy and, later, a law degree at Pepperdine University.
Prior to joining the staff at Mississippi State, Leach served as head football coach at Texas Tech and Washington State University. Outside of coaching, he worked for a time as an analyst at CBS College Sports Network and as a co-host of SiriusXM’s radio show “College Football Playbook.” He released an autobiography about his life and athletics career, titled, “Swing Your Sword: Leading the Charge in Football and in Life,” in 2011. His second book, “Geronimo: Leadership Strategies of an American Warrior,” was published in 2014.
Leach is survived by his wife, Sharon, and their four children, Janeen, Kimberly, Cody and Kiersten.
