Mandel’s Mailbag: Remembering Mike Leach, 5 greatest video games, favourite moments

Mike Leach’s passing on Monday has been extraordinarily tough for all of us to grasp. Particularly these of us who knew him personally.

There shall be different matters addressed additional down this column, however I couldn’t think about beginning this week’s Mailbag speaking about anybody else.

(Observe: Submitted questions have been evenly edited for size and readability.)

For my cash, Mike Leach is an absolute Corridor of Famer! He utterly reworked the Massive 12 which then unfold to all of CFB, and his teaching tree from his time at Texas Tech has made a big impact on all of CFB! Plus, producing successful groups in three completely different leagues — what number of instances has that been executed? To not get too far forward, however shouldn’t Leach be considered a prime 20 all-time HC? — Robert P.

Leach completely ought to go within the Faculty Soccer Corridor of Fame. Sadly, although, the HOF has an arbitrary requirement for coaches that they maintain a .600 profession successful share to be eligible (it’s the rationale Howard Schnellenberger has by no means been inducted), and Leach’s is .596. He was 158-107. If he’d gained only one extra recreation to be at 159-106, guess what his win share can be? Yep, .600.

I actually hope an exception shall be made. For one factor, .596 is increased than the all-time data of both Texas Tech (.552), Washington State (.499) or Mississippi State (.494). But in addition, as Robert mentioned, his impact on the sport far exceeds his file on the sphere.

I wouldn’t start to know find out how to rank the highest 20 all-time head coaches given the disparities in how lengthy they coached, the locations they coached, the completely different ranges, and so on. But when we’re speaking concerning the 20 largest impacts on the game? Completely he’d be on there. What number of coaches within the historical past of the game popularized an innovation that revolutionized the best way groups take into consideration offense? Apparent candidates embrace Pop Warner and the Single Wing, Knute Rockne and the ahead move and Emory Bellard and the wishbone.

Technically, Leach and Hal Mumme created the Air Raid collectively, however Mumme’s profession went south after resigning from Kentucky in 2001 as a result of an NCAA scandal. Leach would go on to be a head coach for two decades, bringing their offense into the mainstream and spawning a tree of influential Air Raid coaches like Sonny Dykes, Dana Holgorsen, Kliff Kingsbury and Lincoln Riley. Now, the as soon as “gimmicky” offense has been included by quite a few NFL coaches, most notably Kansas Metropolis’s Andy Reid with Patrick Mahomes.

All of which is to say — the Corridor of Fame higher make an exception and induct him. And whereas they’re at it, abolish that arbitrary threshold altogether.

I think about No. 1 can be 2008 Texas/Texas Tech, however what are your prime 5 Mike Leach video games of all time? — David G.

Yep, that may be No. 1. Previous to that 2008 season, Texas Tech largely flew beneath the radar, ending within the backside third or so of the polls. However on that November night time, in an enormous primetime recreation, No. 6 Texas Tech knocked off No. 1 Texas in essentially the most dramatic style doable, with Michael Crabtree catching the game-winning 28-yard landing with one second left. That occurs to be the one recreation I’ve ever lined in Lubbock. I picked a great one.

Choosing up the listing from there:

No. 2: The 2006 Perception Bowl. Texas Tech was down 38-7 to Minnesota halfway by means of the third quarter and rallied to win 44-41 in extra time behind QB Graham Harrell. The 31-point comeback stays tied for the most important in bowl historical past, and the loss was so damning for Minnesota that the AD fired coach Glen Mason a couple of days later.

No. 3: Cal 60, Washington State 59 (2014). This Pac-12 After Darkish traditional was arguably essentially the most Leach-ian recreation of his complete profession. Connor Halliday went 49 of 70 for 734 yards, six TDs, no INTs, but misplaced to Cal and Jared Goff in a shootout that featured three lead modifications within the final eight minutes.

No. 4: Mississippi State 44, LSU 34 (2020). It was Leach’s first recreation in Starkville, and everybody was questioning whether or not the Air Raid would work within the SEC. LSU was the defending nationwide champ and a 16.5-point favourite. So in fact, Ok.J. Costello throws for an SEC-record 623 yards in opposition to a totally helpless Bo Pelini protection.

No. 5: Washington State 30, USC 27 (2017). Wazzu was 4-0 and ranked No. 16 within the nation, internet hosting a Friday night time recreation in opposition to a Sam Darnold-led USC crew ranked No. 5. Luke Falk led the Cougs down the sphere for a late go-ahead area aim, then Jahad Woods strip-sacked Darnold to seal an enormous win for that program.

There are heaps and many different candidates, together with his first win over Texas in 2002, which launched Kingsbury into the Heisman race that yr, a 49-45 win at Ole Miss the subsequent season through which B.J. Symons outdueled Eli Manning and Wazzu’s 2018 Alamo Bowl win over Iowa State in Gardner Minshew’s final recreation. You might sub in any of those for both my No. 4 or 5 and I’d haven’t any qualms.

What are your favourite Mike Leach moments? Did you ever have a chance to have any one-on-one moments with him? — Brian L., Huntsville, Ala.

Quite a lot of my colleagues have much more entertaining Leach tales than I do (embedded under), however sure, I had loads of one-on-one moments — he wasn’t precisely exhausting to pin down. Most memorably, in the summertime of 2011, my spouse and I went to Barcelona on our honeymoon. I can’t bear in mind how (probably by means of Bruce) he caught wind. He and Sharon have been heading there too, and he wished some suggestions. He adopted a number of of them, and was so appreciative that actually each time I noticed him over the subsequent eight years or so he would instantly go, “Hey, you been anyplace recently? You bought any ideas for me?”

The opposite one: On the spring conferences in Scottsdale one yr, I wound up sitting at a desk with him and Sharon, a couple of different media of us and a lady who was a high-up volunteer for one of many main bowls (I wish to say Orange?) It was the primary time she’d met him. He talked for about 90 % of the following two hours, of which I recall no specifics apart from fairly a little bit of non-politically right discourse. I saved trying over at this poor bowl rep and noticing her alternating expressions of horror and bewilderment.

I as soon as witnessed Mike Leach put ice cubes in his beer.

— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) December 13, 2022

This job is wonderful. However it might probably’t be executed until folks allow you to in.

In 2014, three months after transferring to the west coast I heard that Mike Leach walked to work each day. I requested if I may be part of in the future. He didn’t actually know me however he mentioned “Positive. Put on good sneakers.” pic.twitter.com/oytu9E23Gv

— Chantel Jennings (@ChantelJennings) December 13, 2022

Mike Leach was the form of man who’d drink Tito’s with unsweet tea as a result of it *did not* style good, thus stopping him from having too many. Subsequent-level thinker.

(That is a real story. I had one with him as soon as. Wasn’t nice.)

— Max Olson (@max_olson) December 13, 2022

I can’t start to specific how a lot I’ll miss the man.

The sports activities world additionally misplaced an amazing human being final Friday. My former SI colleague Grant Wahl, America’s most outstanding soccer author, collapsed and died at the World Cup. He was simply 49. He had an amazing affect on me early in my profession, once we have been each masking school basketball. This Mailbag column you’re studying proper now, which I’ve now been writing for almost 20 years, was a direct ripoff of Grant’s early 2000s hoops Mailbag, one of many earliest digital codecs I bear in mind through which a author combined his experience of the game together with his personal character and humor. Numerous writers on Twitter over the weekend shared their very own tales of his mentorship, his kindness and his affect on soccer and journalism.

He too shall be missed.

I’ve no good option to transition to soccer questions from right here. Take a beat earlier than persevering with.

Please clarify the brand new/present guidelines on transferring. Nonetheless one free switch, however what about after that? Some gamers are transferring for the third or fourth time. What’s up with that? — Jim C.

I utterly perceive your confusion. The one-time exception that went into impact final yr — permitting gamers to switch as soon as with out sitting out a season — applies solely to undergrads. As soon as gamers have their levels they change into grad transfers, and grad transfers have had the flexibility to play instantly since 2006.

The explanation so many guys are making the most of it proper now could be as a result of each participant within the nation acquired a free yr of eligibility for the 2020 COVID season, which is resulting in some extremely extended careers.

Take, for instance, JT Daniels’ largely cursed profession up to now:

2018: Freshman starter for USC. Makes use of one yr of eligibility.

2019: Injured within the season-opener, will get a medical redshirt yr.

2020: Transfers to Georgia, will get a waiver (bear in mind these?) to play immediately, and begins the Dawgs’ final 4 video games in a free eligibility season.

2021: Opens the yr as Georgia’s starter however suffers two accidents and will get usurped by Stetson Bennett. Via 4 years, he’s used solely two seasons of eligibility.

2022: After getting into the portal in January and graduating in Could, Daniels transfers to West Virginia, the place he begins the primary 10 video games earlier than getting benched.

He’s now again within the portal as a grad switch for the second time and can use his final season of eligibility in 2023 at a fourth college to be decided.

What are your prime 5 non-New Yr’s Six bowls to look at? — Brooks P., Memphis, Tenn.

I can provide a extra knowledgeable reply now that we’ve a greater sense of who’s and isn’t opting out.

1. Vacation Bowl (Dec. 28): No. 15 Oregon vs. North Carolina. Let’s face it: Nobody activates a bowl recreation hoping to look at a 13-10 slugfest — and this positively is not going to be that. It’s Bo Nix and Drake Maye going in opposition to two largely horrible defenses. (Oregon’s is 99th, UNC’s one hundred and fifteenth.)

2. Alamo Bowl (Dec. 29): No. 12 Washington vs. No. 20 Texas. This could possibly be a terrific showcase for Michael Penix Jr. and the Huskies, who gained 10 video games whereas largely off the radar of anybody east of the Rockies. It’s additionally a breakout alternative for Texas’ youthful working backs with Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson reportedly opting out.

3. Gator Bowl (Dec. 30): No. 19 South Carolina vs. No. 21 Notre Dame. The Gamecocks ended the common season on a tear, routing No. 5 Tennessee 63-28 and taking down No. 7 Clemson 31-30. Will probably be fascinating to see Spencer Rattler and Antwane Wells Jr. go up in opposition to Marcus Freeman’s protection.

4. Cheez-It Bowl (Dec. 29): Oklahoma vs. No. 13 Florida State. What can I say? I’m a sucker for brand-on-brand matchups, even when a type of manufacturers is 6-6. Florida State QB Jordan Travis quietly had himself a heck of a season for the resurgent Noles.

5. Remedy Bowl (Dec. 16): No. 24 Troy vs. No. 25 UTSA. Hey, that’s this Friday! … There are solely three High 25 vs. High 25 matchups exterior of the New Yr’s Six, and this conflict of the Solar Belt and C-USA champions is certainly one of them. Take pleasure in.

If Deion Sanders has comparatively fast success at Colorado, what’s your opinion on his wish to keep at Colorado/within the Pac 12? It appears to me that Luke Fickell at Wisconsin and Matt Rhule at Nebraska appear to be higher long-term hires, however Deion is a rocket ship destined to take off rapidly after which fly off to the subsequent vacation spot … see Mel Tucker. — Matt H., Denver

Properly, Colorado was by no means going to land Fickell or Rhule, as a result of there have been different suitors. Coach Prime, for causes I’ll by no means perceive, acquired little consideration from different Energy 5 faculties, and AD Rick George took advantage. And George appears to have discovered from the Tucker defection. Sanders’ contract has a few of the steepest buyout figures I’ve seen have been if he to depart for an additional job — $15 million after Yr 1, $10 million after Yr 2, $8 million after Yr 3.

By comparability, Cincinnati paid $3.5 million to purchase out Scott Satterfield’s Louisville contract. Colorado, in principle, appears fairly properly protected.

However as Deion himself mentioned in his farewell assembly together with his Jackson State gamers, “In teaching, you both get elevated otherwise you get terminated.” He additionally mentioned: “I’ve been earning money a very long time, and I ain’t nowhere close to broke.” He stands out as the uncommon coach who, if a yr from now had the possibility to succeed Nick Saban at Alabama, may simply write a verify for $15 million so the college doesn’t should.

I can’t think about that exact state of affairs will occur. However I can also’t think about Deion would be the head coach at Colorado for the subsequent decade. Like every coach, if he’s profitable sufficient to maneuver up the meals chain, he’ll. However even when that occurs, it’s going to have been well worth it for Colorado, as a result of by then, it will likely be a way more enticing job than it has been for the previous dozen years.

Caleb Williams will clearly be the Heisman favourite subsequent season, and guys like Drake Maye and Quinn Ewers will most likely be different frontrunners. Who’re some under-the-radar guys we must always hold an eye fixed out for? — George S., N.Y.

Williams shall be each the favourite and the least-likely participant in America to win it. It’s just about inconceivable to repeat as a result of the voters get tired of you. I agree with Maye. Penix shall be an apparent frontrunner as properly. Throw in Oregon’s Bo Nix, too, if he comes again.

However are we certain Ewers will nonetheless be Texas’ beginning quarterback come subsequent yr’s Heisman ceremony? He’s presently the nation’s Seventy fifth-ranked passer, and I’ve heard good issues concerning the child from Louisiana that Texas is bringing in.

The primary identify that involves thoughts: Grayson McCall. All he’s executed at Coastal Carolina is rank among the many nation’s top-5 passers for 3 straight seasons, however he’s spent most of his profession taking part in in evenly watched Solar Belt video games (save for that tremendous 2020 BYU recreation). He entered the portal this week and can undoubtedly find yourself at a extra high-profile program, the place he’ll have an opportunity to shine in entrance of nationwide audiences.

After that, you work it’s going to be quarterbacks (as a result of who else can win the Heisman?) at applications that determine to be in nationwide rivalry. That might embrace some highly-touted guys who haven’t gotten their flip but — Penn State’s Drew Allar, Clemson’s Cade Klubnik, Georgia’s Carson Beck, whoever wins Ohio State’s job and maybe Florida State’s Jordan Travis.

Lastly, I do know that is extremely unlikely, however it will be nice to see UTSA’s Frank Harris get some love in what shall be his fourth season beginning and seventh yr in school. This season he’s accomplished 71 % of his passes for 3,865 yards, 31 TDs and seven INTs and run for an additional 588 yards and 9 scores. His file during the last two seasons is 23-4. And UTSA strikes into the AAC subsequent yr, which shall be nice for publicity.

Additionally: The Roadrunners go to Tennessee in Week 4.

Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff has suggested that the hiring of Prime Time as Colorado’s new head coach will bolster the Pac-12’s negotiating position in a brand new media rights deal. That looks as if a stretch to me. Given the flashy teaching rent and improved on-field efficiency, what’s your tackle the Pac-12’s future, each media deal and usually? — Gary L.

I actually hope for the Pac-12’s sake that Kliavkoff is a greater negotiator behind the scenes than he’s in public as a result of a few of the stuff he’s been saying publicly are head-scratchers.

ESPN, Fox, and so on., usually are not going to up their bid as a result of one of many faculties employed a coach who’s by no means assured to be there throughout the contract (or frankly any of it, given the deal doesn’t begin till 2024). Kliavkoff later clarified that he meant Colorado will probably change into higher on the sphere, which makes the Buffs extra enticing. Positive, however each recreation Colorado wins in convention play may even be a loss for another person. Colorado video games will get increased scores, however another person’s will worsen.

Additionally, it seems all the course of was held up partly over the delusional hope that the UC Board of Regents may pressure UCLA again into the Pac-12. He reportedly offered the networks with parallel proposals, with and with out UCLA. George: They’re by no means, ever getting again along with you.

Financially, I nonetheless imagine Pac-12 faculties will are available in across the identical place because the Massive 12’s did of their latest deal — a spike from the place they’re at now, however nowhere near the Massive Ten or SEC. Even with a number of CFP contenders late into the season, the Pac-12 didn’t have a single regular-season recreation rank among the many sport’s 15 most considered this season. Deion Sanders alone doesn’t change that equation.

Stew, many due to you and Bruce to your heartfelt Audible tribute to Mike Leach and Grant Wahl. Thanks for sharing your experiences and ideas about each Leach and Wahl. My sympathies to you each. — Rob W., Columbia, S.C.

Thanks, Rob. I’m glad I’ve shops like this one and the podcast to assist course of terrible moments like these. Thanks for studying and listening.

(High photograph: Matt Bush / USA At present)