How’s that for the start to Mike Leach’s SEC head coaching career? The former Washington State head football coach shocked the masses earlier this year when he opted to leave the Pacific Northwest for Starkville.
Taking on the defending champion LSU Tigers in Baton Rouge in their season opener on Saturday, no one really gave the Bulldogs much of a chance in this one.
A transfer from Stanford, K.J. Costello was getting the start under center for Mississippi State. As for Leach, the idea of bringing his Air Raid offense to the SEC seemed questionable, at best.
If what we saw from Leach and Co. on Saturday is any indication, those who pushed back against him joining the SEC will be quiet for some time now.
Off to the races! #HailState RB Kylin Hill takes the short pass 75 yards to the house along the sideline! Mike Leach's offense is cookin! #CFB pic.twitter.com/264eCEu8EI
— Sportsnaut (@Sportsnaut) September 26, 2020
Mississippi State took out LSU by the score of 44-34. It’s a game that saw Costello go 36-of-60 for 623 yards and five touchdowns. Those are not typos. Those numbers actually exist. The 623 passing yards represent the most for a quarterback in single-game SEC history. Think about that for a second. This also included star running back Kylin Hill making plays in the passing game.
Following Mississippi State’s huge upset win, those watching the game had pretty much all of the same reactions.
Wait wait dude has 600 passing yards?!?!?
— Patrick Mahomes II (@PatrickMahomes) September 26, 2020
Alright Dan is my guy but we’re officially over him welcome home Mike Leach!
— Johnthan Banks (@JBanks_27) September 26, 2020
“Mike Leach’s offense won’t work in the SEC.”
— Barrett Sallee (@BarrettSallee) September 26, 2020
– Some idiot
(me)
lol at Mike Leach coaching one game in the SEC and his QB setting the all-time SEC single-game passing record
— Rodger Sherman (@rodger) September 26, 2020
Leach and Lane show up and suddenly the SEC looks like the Big 12 you absolutely love to see it.
— Mike Golic Jr (@mikegolicjr) September 26, 2020
Honest question, how can an NFL team watch what Mike Leach is doing in his first ever game at Mississippi State — coupled with NFL success of his protege Kliff Kingsbury & what Leach did at Tech & WSU — and not try to hire him? It boggles my mind.
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) September 26, 2020
Who was it that wrote this week that the Leach Air Raid wouldn't work in the SEC?
— Steve Robertson (@ScoutSteveR) September 26, 2020
MIKE LEACH NEED AN EXTENSION TODAY
— Willie Gay Jr. (@WillieG___) September 26, 2020
Mike Leach been there five minutes and this dude has 500 passing yards in three quarters at LSU. pic.twitter.com/gIRpoqIkE3
— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_ATH) September 26, 2020
Leach is a treasure. ( no pirate jokes intended! ) https://t.co/QdDWwNPFuP
— robert smith (@Robert26Smith) September 26, 2020
Mike Leach's offense refuses to leave the field and is infuriating a highly ranked opponent?
— David Ubben (@davidubben) September 26, 2020
Sounds like *checks notes* basically every single season for the last 20 years.
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