Mike Leach: The 60 Minutes Interview
Prolific college football head coach Mike Leach has died, he was 61. In 2009, Scott Pelley profiled Leach as he was leading the Red Raiders of Texas Tech.
#60Minutes #MikeLeach #Sports
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There will never be another Mike Leach. College football will never be the same. RIP pirate
LOL. Yeah, how many will get accolades for 4 top 20 finishes in 21 years.
@@mas5867 tell us you’re clueless about college football without actually telling us you’re clueless…😏
@@mas5867 you do realize he took on programs that were failing and turned them around with literally no budget or recruiting. Every program he took over became respectable.
@@mas5867 unbelievably casual
ARRRRRRRGH !
Put Tech football on the map nationally and changed the game of football forever. Being from Lubbock he brought me so much pride to be where I’m from.
As a Mississippi State fan I have the same feeling as you. I was so excited that our little school was good enough for Coach.
@@bradyb2233 as a Clemson i offer my condolences
Until they ran him out of Lubbock because of a spoiled little daddy's boy who' used his influence in media to get him fired ?
@@bobmiller9967 the fans in Lubbock never wanted Leach to leave, but the board of regents did for some reason
@@hunterburt9399 I meant the University establishment .
A true American original. RIP Coach Leach.
100% he will be missed
This man taught a class on “The art of War and Football” at WSU, what a novelty of a man. A football genius that will be missed.
So heart broken as a die hard Tech fan.
There aren't many football fans in the world that weren't immediately saddened by his death...but within 30 minutes were smiling about something awesome that he said in an interview. There are only a couple of celebrities or public figures that could bring a tear to my eye if they passed. One is Jeremey Clarkson, but Mike Leach was absolutely on that list. An absolute national treasure.
Absolutely 💯
Well said. Boomer!
me too
Well said !
Mike Leach was around 48 years old at this interview. At the end of the interview the reporter stayed Leach was still young and would eventually win an NCAA football championship. Little did anyone know 13 years later in December 2022 Mike Leach would die of a heart attack. We never know as human beings when our number is up. Life is so precious and unpredictable. Rest Easy Coach Mike
His authenticity will be missed. Too many coaches take themselves too seriously.
LOL. He and other dumb people seemed to take him too seriously. 5 million a year for a coach that finished in the top 20 just 4 times in 21 years.
@@mas5867 Go Away Troll!
That specific Texas Tech vs Texas game made me want to go to Tech.. and I’m from Michigan. Now I’ve graduated from Texas Tech, twice! WRECKEM!!!!!!
That you based a life decision that affects your career trajectory on a football game is inconceivable. Not academic prestige, not job prospects, not USNWR rankings... a football game.
@@Zenigundam I would argue that a football game provides more insight than a flawed (at best) ranking system like USNWR. The viewer of a football game can gauge, in a much more engaging way the overarching sense of community, sense of belonging, institutional support, alumni support for the school both financial and through time involvement (not to mention alumni network oppertunities), as well as local community support for the campus. If student diversity is a measure that interests you, a quick glance at the stands will provide a more realistic measure than any ranking system, you can actually see how interdispersed various demographic groups are. A prospective student Internalizing that information, comparing the percieved institutional values and against their own, and making an informed decision is a lot more ecompassing a process than basing a life decsion on nothing more than a peice of paper and the opionion of others. Student succes can also be directly correlated to how much a person wants to be there. A football game will tell a person a lot more about that than a few articles as well.
I am a hardcore UT graduate and alum, lived in Austin, worked for the Texas Legislature, and bleed Burnt Orange - that one play drove Captain Pirate Mike Leach's sword into my heart and made me respect his genius from that day forward, and I always wished UT would have gone after him with crazy Nick Saban amounts of money, and with our depth of talent and collegiate football budget we would have been in the Top 4 every year for a decade, with 2 or more National Championships if he had been UT's coach.
@@pleaseclap5210 😂 Boomer freaking Sooner!
@@Zenigundam That is one way to look at it.
The world is just such a lesser place without him. His wit Talent charisma and spot on comedic timing during interviews is unrivaled.
No matter our team, we all college football fans LOVED Mike Leach. The Pirate is already getting his new team ready for the playoffs on the other plane to win his first national title.
RIP to a true legend.
For a coach to do a college course, act out a scene on "Friday Night Lights" the night before a big game, and the things that he did in making his teams perform at their absolute best--what a legacy Mike Leach leaves behind. Even the halftime and post-game interviews were quite amazing when you look back. He will be missed.
I have felt so sad the last few days. I LOVED Mike Leach. I could listen to him talk all day long. I am an OSU Buckeye, but I always rooted for Mike Leach teams (unless of course they played us). so young, way too soon.
I’m a UGA fan/grad and while I never followed Coach Leachs’ teams, I did enjoy his moments in front of the camera. He always got a good laugh out of me. You will be missed coach. RIP
Damn…. I will never get enough of Mike Leach’s interviews. Today was a crazy day starting the 2023 season without this wonderful coach. Miss you Coach Leach!! And Hailstate!!!🏈🏈🏈
The 2023 season was incomplete because Coach Leach was no longer being with us. I agree with you totally
What a character, he'll be missed. God be with his family and friends
One of the best ever. The biggest personality ever by far. College football won’t be the same without you coach Leach!
We don't have control of when we get here or when we leave. I'm certain there's a big game brewing in the sky. They may need Mike. RiP Mike.
I'd rather have Pete Carroll or Tom Osborne coaching in a big game. Mike Leach never had an undefeated season or came close to winning a national championship. Also, he often made very low football IQ clock management decisions.
@@Zenigundam get out of here, troll
@@ZenigundamPete Carroll is great, but he isn’t succeeding at Texas tech. They’re like the #4 or 5 school in Texas. Budget not even close to Oklahoma or Texas . USC was the top dog . They got LA weather & celebrities going to games and recruiting ! Washington state was winning like 2 games a year when Leach showed up there
@@Zenigundam I'm certain they're releveled you don't make up the schedules. Be carful- you might be up next to do what you do best in whatever arena you play in. 🙄🙄
@@Zenigundam win loss records aren't everything. He introduced the air raid offense to the spotlight and helped change the way football can be played. He took a big 12 cannon fodder team and turned it into a major contender that fought above its weight level against past juggernauts like Texas, Texas am, and Nebraska. While he may have never made the big dance but you can not discredit his role to this game.
As a Tennessee fan watching this I saw concepts from Heupel’s offense this entire video. A true legend and one who will forever influence how the sport is played. Rest easy Pirate 🏴☠️
If you ever coached football at any level, you probably knew something about Mike Leach's Air Raid. Even if you didn't know his name, you probably implemented his ideas. A long time ago I was an assistant coach for a junior high football team. Prior to our end-of-season rivalry game, the head coach let me install a few Air Raid plays. I was so taken by his offensive ideas! During the game, we called one play and immediately scored. I never met Coach Leach but his offensive philosophies changed the game, even for a junior high assistant football coach many years ago. I hope his family finds peace in the joy that Mike Leach brought to so many football fans, and the many lives of the young men he taught.
never been a fan of any of the teams he coached but damn it was hard not to be a fan of Mike Leach... RIP Coach🕊✝️🕊
We’re gonna miss him like crazy. He was a joy to see coach. He will be the greatest personality in all of football. Miss him already.
Hard to believe he's gone. I'm an SEC fan at heart, especially for Georgia, Alabama, and South Carolina, but it still hurts emotionally. Just a few weeks ago he led his Bulldogs to an Egg Bowl victory over Ole Miss. It's... so hard.
Loved his humor in a L or W! One of a kind man! threw the mold away! RIP coach!
Rest in peace Coach! Forever in memoery for Tech and Texas 08.
RIP coach from a Georgia fan dawgnation is sending our thoughts and prayers 🙏🙏🙏
RIP coach leach… my pops is 2 years younger than he was and it makes you appreciate so much more what you have in front of you 🙏 coach will be missed for the funny interviews and the good he did for all his players 💯
Thanks for posting this...he was one of a kind. R.I.P. Coach Leach
What a great coach!! An innovator and a motivator, Texas Tech, Washington State and Mississippi State are better programs thanks to Mike Leach
Coach Leach had an incredible football mind! He will be truly missed! May he Rest In Peace. I am sending my prayers to his entire family. God bless 🙏🏻🙏🏻❤️❤️
Mike leach was more than just a great college football coach. He was also great off the field as well. He will be missed.
Love that Scott Pelley was the one who got to do this interview
I had no idea the interviewer went to Texas Tech! What a tribute of Leach's abilities as head coach.
A great personality who did great things for Texas Tech University. A shame that a BOS like Gerald Myers ran him off. RIP, Coach Leach and thank you for great memories and for being a big personality who brought a special flair to NCAA football for sports fans to enjoy.
Craig James helped run Leach out of Lubbock.
@@tchender1 Yes, he did but he could not have done so if Myers had not taken the opportunity to run out Leach because he was was making a greater positive contribution to TTU athletics than Myers himself ever did.
@@vargviper7192 Absolutely.
@@vargviper7192 absolutely! I think Kent Hance had a hand in screwing Mike too.
@@stever5359 Hance was Chancellor at the time so that would be right.
Watching from Grenada in the Caribbean. Nick Mack is here
I’m a lifelong Sooner fan and it broke my heart when the Mad Scientist passed. Even though we only had him for one year he made a huge impact on Sooner Football! God Bless you Coach and we’ll miss you! Boomer!
RIP Mike you were one of a kind I was always a fan of your just wish you could achieved more against the big boys in college football but you made your make and nothing to be ashamed of.
Mike will be not only missed by Mississippi State, but by all of college football. A unique and intellectual mind that was gone too soon. I hope my bulldogs can pull off a win in the ReliaQuest bowl game for you Pirate Leach
RIP Coach. Thanks for posting
*The entire nation lost a great man. Prayers only. Gone too soon.*
I didnt know Coach. But over the last few days I have cried a lot for him, his wife, his children, his family, all the men he impacted and the game itself.
RIP Coach. He was an innovator along w/ coaches that he was with like Hal Mumme. I remember seeing Hal Mumme coach Kentucky back in the 90s. The offense was really innovative and creative and created a lot of space. These days the spread type offense is probably the most prominent in college football, and Leach was one of the first innovators.
OU grad who moved to Columbus, Ohio in summer 2008, and I knew it was a short term assignment. A few months later in November 2008, Boss Man offered me free tickets to “The Game” hosted in Columbus that year, or flight and tix to go back to OKC and watch OU vs. TX Tech, after that Crabtree v. TX catch a few weeks earlier. To this day, I can’t believe I turned down once in a lifetime tOSU vs. Mich TIX at the Horseshoe to watch TX Tech vs. OU. That was the street cred Leach had built TX Tech into. I knew that was my only chance at watching “The Game” ever in my life and I PROUDLY passed it up and still DO NOT REGRET my decision to this day. Thanks Coach Leach for the impact to OU (1999 - my freshman year at OU) and for making the story of a lifetime to turn down tOSU/Michigan in favor of OU/Texas Tech! Would not trade it for the world!
As a college football fan a coach I always enjoyed watching and admired how he coached. RIP Coach Leach.
I'm a Kentucky alumnus and fan. The wisest decision Hal Mumme ever made was to bring Mike Leach with him to Kentucky. He was an innovator, and somehow motivated his players to succeed at a high level without being much of a "rah rah guy" (credit to Hal Mumme for that phrase). I never found myself rooting against his teams, even when Kentucky faced Mississippi State later in his career. I loved his oddness. Rest easy, coach. You left football in a better place then where you found it.
"When it rains mud" That was the best!
Legend! happy I got to see one of your last games. RIP coach
Man, another great that I didn’t realize that I knew too little about until it was too late. I salute him
My favorite part of this story is Coach Leach recruiting that contest winner making that promotional kick. That's awesome
Tech should’ve never fired this man. RIP Pirate.
I’ve always loved this piece. It was a special time when the pirates flag flew over the Caprock.
The first I heard of Mike was in the book The Perfect Pass: American Genius and the Reinvention of Football. I've followed him ever since. My favorite coach
He did a lot for a lot of people behind the scenes. Damn good man. RIP COACH
One of a kind. RIP, Coach 🙏
Wish I would of gotten the chance to know him. Sincere condolences to his Family. RIP Mike
Arkansas fan here, miss this man already, R,I,P MIKE
RIP. Not a huge college fan, but was def a fan of Mike Leach.
Great interview
What an amazing coach. I remember watching his post game interviews in the past and always thought he was such a funny guy with charisma and interesting stories
RIP COACH LEACH. You will be missed on and off the field.
One of the GOATS of coaching…
The practice field was just outside my window during Fall 06 at Tech. They used to practice with jet engines , which were mounted to trailers, in order to mimic the noise of a crowd
Saddened by the loss of Coach Leach. I'm an adopted WSU fan through my wife who is an alum. We followed Coach Leach and always appreciated his approach to life- he never took himself too serious and was an independent thinker. RIP Coach.
Leach was sound bite gold.
Sailing Pirate RIP Coach Leach!
He is one facinating dude! RIP to the Pirate!
❤ sure gonna miss him RIP
I was at that game when Tech beat the Longhorns in Lubbock.
Excellent a great coach and person Rest In Peace and god bless
The only man I think we truly appreciated in life as we do in death. Fair winds and following seas, captain 🏴☠️
college football will never the same without Mike Leach rip pirate
What Mike Leach has done with his smaller programs is way more impressive that what coaches like Saban and Kirby have done with theirs.
Coach was a character and CFB is less interesting without him but he won just slightly less than 60% of the games he coached in.....every school he coached at has a better winning % for the entirety of their history than they had while Leach was the coach. It's enough to say he was an extremely interesting person who made college football more enjoyable....it isn't necessary to overstate the impact he made on CFB or compare him to the GOAT and the heir apparent to the GOAT.....Saban has outpaced Alabama's historical winning %, which was impressive before he showed up, and Smart is significantly outpacing UGAs historical winning %, again a % that was pretty impressive prior to Smarts arrival.
Rip Coach Mike Leach you were and inspiration to many people. You were an offensive guru. Your run and gun offense puts you next to many legendary coaches. 🙏🏈👑
RIP!!!
This man was a goof in all the best possible ways. He was a genius and man he had so many interests than just football. As a bama fan I think I cried for a solid hour today because I got to shake this man's hand once in T Town and to me, he will always be one of the best to ever coach. I'd even wager he has done more for the sport than Saban ever has ( I am a diehard saban/bama man) and no I am not necessarily saying he is better at all, but you cannot deny the impact his offense has had.
RIP Coach Leach, you touched so many lives and will be dearly missed.
Rest easy Coach 💐
May THE Pirate be welcomed with open arms above, you will be GREATLY missed, as the footprints you treaded on your journey in life was one of a truly unique path. RIP 🍻🇺🇸🙏🏼🇺🇸🍻 🐮🔔🐮🔔🐮🔔🐮🔔
He was to College Football what Sid Gillman & Don Coryell was to Pro Football it was because of him that Texas Tech had THE most dangerous passing game in the country.
Thanks for reposting this story!
He's young just wait hit different 🥺🥺
It's hard to overstate just how much his program has now seeped into NFL culture. I remember what big 10/12 football used to look like (often called 'pro-style' because it was the system almost everyone was running in the NFL), and what it looks like now - and it's night and day, damn near.
R.I.P to one of the greats forever loved always gonna be missed thank you Coach for everything
Watch him at Washington state 🙏 Man for he was a great Coach
Rest in Peace Coach and thanks for your time in Lexington.
I wish he would've gotten the opportunity to coach at a big time school with real athletes. RIP Coach and thanks for some great memories
My favorite. RIP Pirate
Goodness! This was just about 15 years ago.
9:53 - Lol. I fully subscribe to Leach's weather advice here. Yes you can listen to the official forecast, but you should still sample it first hand to prepare for your day.
I remember watching Crabtree catch that and thinking this is history, Leach will be missed, heard lots of interviews with him on local sports radio, sad.
Praying for strength to the Leach Family and Friends 🙏🏼
A sad day for college football. It's not an exact comparison, but it almost feels like we lost the closest thing to the college football version of John Madden even though Leach never went into broadcasting. RIP Mike Leach
*RIP Coach. 1 of my former players played for you at Washington State.*
Rest in Peace Coach Leach! I always dreaded when Oregon had to play Washington State when you were their coach lol
RIP Coach
The Interviewer says One sportswriter called you a football madman directing a sideshow Mike Leach says I dont have any disagreement with it really Love it!
RIP Leach one of a kind coach
Damn uga just played you guys not to long ago and I gotta say I was lowkey afraid the first quarter of the game but anyways rip coach Leach I wanna see them ranked top 10 next season for him
RIP Coach! Washington Huskies Alumni 🙏🏻🏈👊🏻