As an innovator and program builder, the Pirate absolutely should go into the College Football Hall of Fame. Unfortunately, the HOF has a rule regarding coaches: You have to have a career winning percentage of .600 or better.
Mike Leach finished at 158-107, a percentage of .596. Not good enough. What would have been good enough? One more win; 159-106 is exactly .600. (h/t to Stewart Mandel for noting that).
They should waive (or eliminate) that rule. I can’t think of any coach who has had a greater tactical impact on the entire sport than the Pirate. From the pass-happy shootouts every Friday night in Arkansas high schools, to the quarterback who just won the Heisman at USC running the Air Raid, to Pat Mahomes and Kliff Kingsbury in the NFL, his imprint is everywhere.
Sorry, I did not mean to suggest the rule was arcane only that in this age of entertainment driven decisions the eligibility threshold minus two points will disappear. So far as Mike Leach, he is, and will become even more so, a folk hero of statue far beyond the typical coach with a WL percentage of 600% or above.
I am puzzled by Don Faurot’s admittance with an overall record of 177–96–13 (542%) but a Mizzou record of 101–79–10 (782%). Of course he (Faurot) received the Amos Alonzo Stagg Award for his outstanding contributions to the game by his introduction of the T formation. Certainly this award might be given to Mike Leach for his association with the Air Raid offense.
I agree, he deserves HOF entrance… not only innovative, but a unique soul that said what he was thinking in a game where few coaches ever reveal any real thoughts.
It did occur to me that it he’d had a better kicker last year at RRS, he would have gotten the .600 mark. Not that I want to give that one up, given that we had to drive down at the end to win it.
I find that I simply miss Mike Leach. Never met the man. Heard him speak at the LRTD club a few years back, but that’s all. Even so, I just liked the guy. Football is richer for him having been part of it. Poorer for his untimely death.
College football will miss Leach’s colorful & unconventional personality. He was an innovator of the sport, & most liked & respected him. Leach deserves to be in the College Hall of Fame.
Coach Leach left a strong imprint everywhere he went. By sticking to his philosophy about the game. That philosophy or some variation of it is scattered throughout now. If not reaching a certain win percentage by a mere few decimals keeps him out of the HOF then there is another philosophy that needs abandoned totally.
In keeping with the Leach attraction, his not being eligible for the HOF becomes another mark of his individualism that defined his personality we cherish in our positive regard. I can see a trivia card now describing his career, his nontraditional route to coach a Power 5 school, his hangin’ in Key West among the parrot-heads. He is beyond the crowd…
