LOOK: Mississippi State wide receiver Jaden Walley posts hilarious tribute to Mike Leach on social media
Former Mississippi State head coach Mike Leach tragically passed away in December due to a massive heart attack. He was well known for having a wide variety of interests outside of football, especially pirates. His book is titled “Swing your Sword: Leading the Charge in Football and Life.” Tributes across the country have poured in for the legendary college football head coach the past few weeks. There’s even a billboard in Des Moines, Iowa that paid tribute to Leach. Mississippi State was able to win their bowl game, 19-10 against the Illinois Fighting Illini on January 2nd. Earlier this week on Wednesday, January 4th, Mississippi State wide receiver Jaden Walley decided to post a hilarious tribute to his former head coach on social media, using one of his old quotes.
Check it out below.
“I think we can go eat a fish sandwich under a shade tree with our fat little girlfriends now…RIP the Pirate,” Walley posted to his Instagram page. It was a fitting tribute to the legendary head coach and there’s no doubt that Leach would have loved the fact that Walley used one of his more hilarious quotes of all-time.
Below is the press conference that Walley was referencing–in case you missed it. Leach was furious about his team’s performance against Auburn on Nov. 5, a game in which the Bulldogs prevailed 39-33 in overtime. Leach didn’t hold back in his press conference the following day.
College football loses a legendary head coach
Mississippi State head coach Mike Leach died after a medical situation that unfolded on Dec. 11 and was later identified as a massive heart attack. He was 61 years old.
According to the release from Mississippi State, Leach passed away from complications due to a heart condition on Monday night, December 12.
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.”
Mississippi State University President Mark E. Keenum also released a statement on the passing of the Leach: “Coach Mike Leach cast a tremendous shadow not just over Mississippi State University, but over the entire college football landscape. His innovative ‘Air Raid’ offense changed the game. Mike’s keen intellect and unvarnished candor made him one of the nation’s true coaching legends. His passing brings great sadness to our university, to the Southeastern Conference, and to all who loved college football. I will miss Mike’s profound curiosity, his honesty, and his wide-open approach to pursuing excellence in all things.
“Mike’s death also underscores the fragility and uncertainty of our lives. Three weeks ago, Mike and I were together in the locker room celebrating a hard-fought victory in Oxford. Mike Leach truly embraced life and lived in such a manner as to leave no regrets. That’s a worthy legacy. May God bless the Leach family during these days and hours. The prayers of the Bulldog family go with them.”
Leach suffered a massive heart attack which led to him taking an ambulance to the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, according to the Clarion Ledger. Upon arrival to the home, EMTs used a defibrillator machine and delivered multiple shocks to restore normal heart rhythm, per the report. Leach was transported by helicopter to UMMC after being stabilized, per the report. He was listed in critical condition following his heart attack, according to a release from the school.
A legendary career for Leach
Leach was the head coach of Mississippi State for just three seasons. He went a combined 19-17 in those three years and led the Bulldogs to a bowl game every season. The 2022 season, his final one in Starkville, he went 8-4, his best record with the Bulldogs. Mississippi State earned a berth in the ReliaQuest Bowl against Illinois. Leach started his coaching career in 1987 as an offensive line coach for Cal Poly. Leach would coach at some smaller schools until 1997 when he got his first Power Five job as an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Kentucky. He would then leave for Oklahoma two years later for the same position.
After one season with the Sooners, Leach was hired as Texas Tech’s head coach. Leach put the Red Raiders on the map, winning nine games in just his third season. Leach would remain the head coach at Texas Tech for 10 years, going 84-43 and 5-4 in bowl games. He took Texas Tech to a 10th bowl game in his final season but did not coach in it.
Following a few seasons out of coaching, Leach was hired by Washington State in 2012. Leach found strong success once again as a head coach, going 55-47 and making it to six bowl games in eight seasons with the Cougars. After that time, he was hired by Mississippi State.
On3’s Riley Gates also contributed to this article.