Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz spoke candidly in front of media members on Tuesday at SEC Media Days as he presented his passionate case for Mike Leach’s inclusion on the College Football Hall of Fame Ballot.
Missouri Head Coach Eli Drinkwitz Campaigns For Mike Leach’s College Football Hall of Fame Inclusion
Leach sits at 59.6% winning percentage, one win short of the 60% required by the College Football Hall of Fame. His team went on to win their bowl game after Leach passed away in 2022.
Drinkwitz used his opening remarks at SEC Media Days to plead his case for allowing Leach to be on the ballot to both media members and College Football Hall of Fame CEO Steve Hatchell in a passionate tribute to one of the most influential coaches of our era.
“We all know Y-cross,” Drinkwitz opined, referring to one of the Air Raid’s staple plays.
“We all know that six is four verticals. We all understand that rocket-lasers are tailback screens, rockets to the right, and lasers to the left. He won 158 career games, was the 2008 Big 12 Coach of the Year, two-time PAC-12 Coach of the Year, and in 2018 was the AFCA Football Coach of the Year. Won 11 games at Texas Tech and 11 games at Washington State.”
Drinkwitz acknowledged the standards for entrance into the Hall of Fame, but continued to defend his position and reasoning for making an exception.
“And I understand that his career winning percentage is .596, one win short of the 60 percent threshold, and I understand that standards are there for people to make decisions, but I also understand that Coach Leach would be a great value to the Hall of Fame, because of the legacy that he has, because of the impact that he made, because of the innovator that he was, because of the legacy of coaches that he left. And in my opinion, not only a winner, but a Hall-of-Famer.”
Drinkwitz also memorialized Leach after his passing in 2022 by wearing a T-shirt with a picture of Leach on the front and the title of his book “Swing Your Sword” in Missouri’s bowl game, but you didn’t need to know Leach personally to have felt the impact he had on the sport as a whole.
Leach was an innovator on the field and a curiosity off it. He’s credited with being the father of the Air Raid offense and juxtaposed his football acumen with a well-documented love of pirates.
Leach was never a stranger in front of a microphone either, no question was ever out of bounds. Where most coaches would be dismissive of questions not relating to their team, Leach often spent his time pontificating on such philosophical debates like “Which Pac-12 mascot would win in a battle royale of mascots,” thoughtfully beginning his response with “first of all, what kind of mythical powers does a Sun Devil have?”
His success at programs like Texas Tech and Washington State, places that are far off the typical college football fan map despite having proudly devoted alumni, was indicative of his pirate mentality.
MORE: 2024 Missouri Tigers Depth Chart
When he left Wazzu, it wasn’t for bright lights in Los Angeles or Florida sunshine (although he did spend plenty of time at his home in Key West); it was for Starkville, Mississippi, a place where the term “Stark Vegas” was converted from an outside critique of the lack of culture and absence of things to do into a rallying cry that Bulldog fans proudly proclaim to this day.
Leach was a notable lover of history and war strategy, once teaching a five-class seminar at Washington State titled “Insurgent Warfare and Football Strategies.” He wrote a book on Geronimo and his leadership techniques. His off-field persona was as unique and original as his Air Raid offense was on the field when he first introduced it to the modern era.
The anecdotes and stories of Leach’s uniqueness are numerous and legendary and turned him into a cult figure.
When we consider the historical significance of college football, and the importance of preserving that history with institutions like the College Football Hall of Fame, it becomes even more imperative to ensure that the legacy of Mike Leach is preserved for future generations to know and understand.
The sport has always been a welcoming place for the misfits of society, where chaos reigns, and dress standards are entirely out the door unless you are in Tuscaloosa without some variant of houndstooth. It would not feel right with the king of the misfits being left out because of one win.
Leach deserves nomination as much for who he was off the field as for the innovations on the field. He was never perfect, and neither is college football. In a way, the two are a nearly perfect match for one another.
Eli Drinkwitz deserves credit for reminding us that the legacy Mike Leach left behind deserves enshrinement so those in the future can enjoy him as much as we all did when he was here.
After all, we still haven’t fully determined what mythical powers a Sun Devil has.
College Football Network has you covered with the latest news and analysis, rankings, transfer portal information, top 10 returning players, the 2024 college football season schedule, and much more!