Mike Leach Dies At 61 After Complications From Heart Condition

Longtime college football coach Mike Leach died Monday night following complications from a heart condition, per a release Tuesday morning from Mississippi State. He was 61.

Leach was amid his third season with the Bulldogs, who he coached to an 8-4 regular season record. Prior to his three-year run in Starksville, Leach was the head coach at Washington State for eight seasons and was at the helm at Texas Tech for a decade. Leach led his teams to a bowl game in all but two of his 21 seasons as an NCAA Division 1 college football head coach and he posted a combined winning record at all three of his aforementioned stops.

The California native’s list of personal accolades includes two Pac-12 Coach of the Year honors (2015, 2018), a Big 12 Coach of the Year Award (2008) and the 2008 Woody Hayes Trophy, awarded annually to the nation’s top collegiate coach.

The Bulldogs will play with heavy hearts Jan. 2 when they meet Illinois at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay for the ReliaQuest Bowl.