Canzano: Mike Leach gets another win
College Football Hall of Fame opens arms to late coach.
Mike Leach had little tolerance for nonsense and took amusement in life’s absurdities. I think he’d have shaken his head and smiled a little at the notion that the College Football Hall of Fame relaxed the rules to make room for him on Thursday.
The National Football Foundation announced an adjustment to the eligibility criteria for coaches to be considered for induction, dropping the win percentage requirement from .600 to .595.
Leach’s win percentage: .596.
He died three days before Christmas in 2022. His final victory as a coach, a 24-22 win over Ole Miss, came a few weeks earlier in the Egg Bowl. After that win, Leach said: “This game had a season’s worth of excitement in it.”
That fun little victory ends up as a big one for his legacy. Or as Leach might have noted, had Ole Miss kicked a late field goal to beat him that day, the NFF would have had to drop the win percentage requirement to .592.
Leach belongs in the Hall of Fame at any win percentage. His contributions to the game are evident and ongoing. He was an offensive genius with an unconventional mindset. He won at Texas Tech, Washington State, and Mississippi State — places that had never been consistent winners. He’ll undoubtedly be inducted in 2027, when the new requirements go into effect.
The news sent me to my phone, where I scrolled back through a text trove of Leach’s rambling thoughts, comments, observations, and criticisms, often sent in the wee hours of the night.
I don’t think he’d have minded me sharing a few fun text messages with topics ranging from the Pac-12, Larry Scott, ESPN’s influence, Oregon football coaches, Seattle, Republicans, Democrats, retirement spots, and respect.