Mississippi State announced the "Mike Leach Endowed Scholarship" on Thursday, following the tragic and unexpected passing of the former Bulldogs head coach at 61 years old.
"Leach arrived in Starkville on January 9, 2020, as Mississippi State’s 34th head football coach," the statement from the school read.
"He led the Bulldogs to a 19-17 record, including an 8-4 mark in 2022, and bowl appearances in all three seasons. Leach’s offense led the SEC passing in each of the last two seasons. The Bulldogs defeated seven AP Top 25 opponents during Leach’s MSU tenure, which tied for third most by a Bulldog head coach. Leach coached MSU to its two largest comebacks in program history in 2021. Forever a college football icon, he leaves an incredible legacy as a husband, father, friend and leader of young men."
Leach was originally named the team's head coach in 2020, posting a 19-17 record over three seasons. The Bulldogs achieved a bowl berth in each of those seasons, finishing out 2022 with a ReliaQuest Bowl appearance against Illinois on the horizon.
Known for creating an immense turnaround for each program he appeared at with unforgettable head-coaching stints at both Texas Tech and Washington State in addition to MSU, Leach goes down as a college football icon heralded as the greatest offensive mastermind in the sport whose legacy will live on forever.
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