On a mirrored glass shelf in the Washington State head football coach’s office sits a small tribute to the late Mike Leach’s impact on the school.
In the office of current head coach Jake Dickert, a crimson Washington State helmet is prominently displayed. The helmet features the famous Cougar head logo in metallic gray and a pair of pirate swords underneath.
“I truly believe coach Leach taught everyone around here that they can believe again and he did it in his own unique way that is Washington State,” Dickert said.
Leach’s legacy will be a key part of the story when Washington State faces Texas Tech on Saturday night. These are the two schools most closely associated with the late coach.
While this weekend isn’t dedicated solely to Leach and his time coaching at Texas Tech for 10 seasons and then at Washington State for eight seasons, his history plays a significant role in the matchup.
Leach is being inducted into the Washington State Athletics Hall of Fame this weekend, adding to his previous honor from Texas Tech. His family is back in Pullman for the celebration and was recognized during the induction ceremony on Friday night and again at Saturday’s game.
This weekend also provides a chance to remember Leach’s place in football history, especially since he passed away nearly two years ago while coaching at Mississippi State. There is also discussion about whether he will eventually be included in the College Football Hall of Fame.
“Coach Leach, in my mind, and I believe in most of the people in this room, is a no-doubt Hall of Famer,” Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz said during SEC media days. “He impacted our game more in the last 50 years than a lot of other people, not only with his legacy, but also with his football knowledge.”
Technically, Leach is not yet eligible for the Hall of Fame, according to Steve Hatchell, the President and CEO of the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame.
Leach would need to be nominated by one of the schools where he coached — which seems like a formality — and must be three years removed from his last coaching job before he can be considered.
However, there is a factor that will force the NFF to make a decision about Leach’s future candidacy.
Leach ended his career with a 158-107 record, giving him a winning percentage of .596. According to the Hall of Fame guidelines, coaches must have a .600 winning percentage to be considered for the ballot.
It’s not as simple as rounding up the percentage. “It’s broader than just one person,” Hatchell said.
The situation is personal for Hatchell because he considered Leach a friend. Leach was someone the NFF would consult for advice on college football and with whom Hatchell would discuss book recommendations.
Leach was also known for his strong opinions about the state of college football in 2024.
“He was a great friend and you could ask him a lot of things. He didn’t just go with the flow. He would be very quick to tell us, which helped us a lot, it would be this doesn’t work or this works,” Hatchell said.
“He could be a contrarian, but a lot of times if you’re going to push back and be sharp-elbowed to talk about the good in the game, you need people to give you some really good introspection and Mike was that way.”
Hatchell believes the debate about Leach will continue, especially because he was so close to the 60% win mark. It might be that all coaches with a .595 win percentage or higher are eventually considered for the ballot if they meet other criteria.
Saturday’s game between his two former teams is just one instance where his name and impact will be highlighted again. And even if he isn’t added to the Hall of Fame in the future, his legacy is assured.
“I wouldn’t be here with all these things and this building without Mike Leach,” Dickert said. “And I never met him personally, but the impact he’s made on the game of football, I think most coaches can only dream of that.”
