Mississippi State Football Coach Mike Leach Has Died At 61

Mississippi State football coach Mike Leach died late Monday night at University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson after suffering a heart attack at his home on Sunday.

The school released an official announcement of his passing on Tuesday morning, including a statement from the Leach family thanking the football world for their support over the past two days.

In a statement, the Leach family said: “Mike was a giving and attentive husband, father and grandfather. He was able to participate in organ donation at UMMC as a final act of charity. We are supported and uplifted by the outpouring of love and prayers from family, friends, Mississippi State University, the hospital staff, and football fans around the world. Thank you for sharing in the joy of our beloved husband and father’s life.”

It is a major loss for the college football world, as Leach was one of the biggest offensive influences in football having developed the Air Raid offense with Hal Mumme in 1989, eventually bringing that offense to the forefront in the late 90s as the offensive coordinator at Kentucky and then Oklahoma. Leach spent 10 seasons at Texas Tech, eight at Washington State, and the last three at Mississippi State, compiling a 158-107 career record as a head coach, including 19 bowl appearances.

Many of Leach’s former assistants are now head coaches, including Lincoln Riley, Kliff Kingsbury, Dana Holgorsen, Sonny Dykes, and Dave Aranda, and after news of his death was made official, many coaches and players around college football offered remembrances of the coach that was such an influence on the sport.