What a heartbreaking day for the college football world.
It was confirmed today that college football coaching legend Mike Leach had passed away at the age of 61, due to complications from a massive heart attack he suffered on Sunday night.
Reports came out after Leach was hospitalized, and that he was “largely if not totally” unresponsive after being airlifted to University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, and that he was transitioned to comfort care on Monday.
Rumors began to swirl yesterday about the state of Leach’s condition, with some mentioning that it was only a matter of time before he passed away:
The Leach family said in a statement:
“Mike was a giving and attentive husband, father and grandfather. He was able to participate in organ donation at UMMC 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.
Thank you for sharing in the joy of our beloved husband and father’s life.”
It’s absolutely brutal news, as Leach was arguably the best college football coaching personalities in the game. Not to mention, he’s the father of the “air raid” offense on the college football landscape, playing a huge role in making football a lot more fun to watch with his high powered passing attack and fast paced offense, that he stayed true to throughout his years at Texas Tech, Washington State, and Mississippi State.
It’s truly hard to comprehend the fact that he’s gone now.
All we can do now is celebrate the time we had to witness greatness, both on and off the field, from the famed football coach.
I was digging through Twitter trying to find one of the many legendary moments from the guy, and came across this hidden gem of Leach doing the weather with Chief Meteorologist Ron Roberts on a local news station back during his days at Texas Tech.
He hilariously said:
“My favorite weather pattern happens to be when it rains mud. Dust comes through, rain on top of it, it rains mud.
This weather report here? What do I know, I’m a football coach. I suggest you go out and do what I do. Get out of bed, go outside (Pretends to feel around for rain), then you know.”
The college football world will never be the same without this guy:
