Wyoming Native Mike Leach Returns Home | Wyoming Cowboys Athletics

Washington State head coach Mike Leach is a rare breed among college football coaches. The Cougar head coach is at times a little eccentric and his pressers can often turn into whatever thoughts happen to be crossing through the coach’s head at that particular time, or maybe a question from a reporter will trigger a memory from his past. Leach is a Wyoming native. Born in California but he spent his formative years in the Cowboy state. He’s a Cody High School graduate. Unlike many Wyoming high school students, however, he attended Brigham Young for college.

Leach did not play football in college, however, he has learned his craft from several prominent coaches such as Norm Chow, LaVell Edwards, and most importantly Hal Mumme. Leach developed an ‘Air Raid’ offense that often led the country in passing yards. Leach has tutored several prominent college quarterbacks such as Tim Couch, Josh Heupel, current Texas Tech head coach Kliff Kingsbury, and many others. In his head coaching career, he has had only two losing seasons, both of those coming after taking over at Washington State.

Among Leach’s quirks, besides giving zany interviews, he’s an author of two books. His first, with help from Bruce Feldman, he wrote Swing Your Sword. A book about Leach’s life, coaching college football, and his firing from Texas Tech. Leach was let go from Texas Tech after an incident involving Adam James, the son of ESPN studio host Craig James. The second book was titled Geronimo, a story of the Native American warrior and how lessons from his life are applied today.

Leach will be making his return to Wyoming for the first time as a college football coach. Undoubtedly he’s been back for other adventures, but this time he will stand on the opposing sideline at War Memorial Stadium. In the spirit of Leach returning home, I decided to compile a video collection of some of Leach’s craziest interviews because some of them are just quite simply legend. With any luck, the Cowboys will spoil his return back to the Cowboy state.

A reporter announced he was engaged, and this is Mike Leach’s advice for him: