Arguably one of the most innovative coaches in the country, Mike Leach not only transformed Texas Tech Football, but also the face of college football with an all-out aerial assault. This is evidenced by the number of programs incorporating more passing into their schemes than before. Leach's offense became a hot, commodity as coaching staffs from across the country came to Lubbock to get a glimpse into what makes the program tick.
Prior to Texas Tech, Leach, in just one season at Oklahoma, directed a Sooner offense that went from one of the worst in the Big 12 Conference to one of the best. Under Leach's tutelage, Heupel was named 1999 Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year. For his efforts, Leach was nominated for the 1999 Broyles Award as the top assistant coach in the country.
Leach guided an Oklahoma offense that went from 11th in the Big 12 in 1998 to first in 1999 and 101st in the nation to 11th. In just one year, OU's total offense numbers improved from 293.3 to 427.2 yards per game.
The rise in passing and scoring offense categories is just as impressive. Oklahoma went from last to first in the Big 12 in passing offense in one year, from 107th in the country to ninth. Under Leach, the Sooners improved from 109.9 yards passing per game to 321.7 yards per game.
In 1998, Oklahoma was last in the Big 12 and 101st in the country in scoring offense at 16.7 points per game. In 1999, the Sooners improved to second in the league and eighth in the country in scoring at 36.8 points per game, an increase of just over 20 points per game.
Under Leach, the Oklahoma offense set six Big 12 Conference and 17 OU records. The Sooners were one of only two schools in the nation to have six players with 20 or more receptions in 1999.
Prior to joining Bob Stoops' Oklahoma staff, Leach served as offensive coordinator for Hal Mumme at the University of Kentucky and Valdosta (Ga.) State University.
For two years at Kentucky under Mumme, Leach coached the Kentucky "Air Raid" offense that was one of the most explosive in Southeastern Conference history. Under Mumme and Leach, the Kentucky offense set six NCAA records, 41 Southeastern Conference records and 116 school records in 22 games. Leach's Kentucky offense featured the talented Couch, who passed for 4,275 yards and 34 touchdowns as a senior.
Named 1996 Division II Offensive Coordinator of the Year by American Football Quarterly magazine, Leach helped Mumme lead Valdosta State to a 40-17-1 record. The 1993 Blazer offense smashed 66 school records, 22 conference records and seven national records. In 1994, Valdosta State advanced to the Division II playoffs with Leach's offense shattering 80 school records, 35 conference records and seven more national marks.
Leach and Mumme first teamed up at Iowa Wesleyan College in 1989. From 1989 to 1991 he served as offensive coordinator and line coach for an offense that led the NAIA in passing yardage one season and finished second the other two. Iowa Wesleyan passed for more than 11,000 yards in Leach's three seasons and broke 26 national records.
Leach has also made coaching stops in Pori, Finland, where he served as head coach in the European Football League (1989), as well as one-year stints at College of the Desert (1988) and Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo (1987).
After graduating with honors from BYU in 1983, Leach earned a Master's Degree from the U.S. Sports Academy and his law degree from Pepperdine University, where he graduated in the top one-third of his class.
The oldest of six siblings, Leach and his wife, Sharon, are the parents of four children; Janeen (23), Kim (18), Cody (12) and Kiersten (9). Janeen, a graduate of BYU, is currently attending medical school at the Texas Tech Health Sciences Center. Kim will enter her freshman year at Texas Tech this fall.
