RITZVILLE, WA – A great character in the world of college football and one of its most innovative and creative offensive minds – that’s how a Washington State Senator remembers former WSU football coach Mike Leach who passed away due to a heart attack at the age of 61. Mark Schoesler is the senator for the 9th Legislative District, which includes Washington State University’s main campus. The Ritzville Republican says Leach made the Cougars relevant.
Schoesler says Leach’s success on the field was matched by his outspoken nature in interviews, but there was more to him than that, which was evident when a former WSU president died.
Leach was WSU’s head coach from 2012 through 2019. During his eight seasons in Pullman, he led the Cougars to a 55-47 record. His most successful season was in 2018, when WSU finished with an 11-2 record and a win in the Alamo Bowl.
Leach left WSU and became the head coach at Mississippi State in 2020. In his three seasons at MSU, he compiled a 19-17 record. Prior to becoming Washington State’s coach, Leach coached 10 seasons at Texas Tech, where he had an 84-43 mark.
