DEDawg
01-10-2020, 04:35 PM
Some really good info here on Leach from WSU fans. I'll post some of the positive and negative highlights that seem to be a common theme. Main pro i'm seeing is he holds his players accountable and instills a good culture. Main negative I'm seeing is clock management, play after a bye week/opener, not getting under center at goal line, and losing consistently to rivals (i think this is more about Washington just being great the past 10 years). Tons of other posts, if anyone wants the full thread it's here: https://washingtonstate.forums.rivals.com/threads/dawg-fan-coming-in-peace.20138/#post-234534
1) Knowing the MSU situation and what led to the firing of Moorehead, Leach is exactly a great fit for the program at this point in time. The MSU program needs focus and discipline. Every place Leach has coached the program's off the field issues have decreased and class room performance has improved. That is not debatable from anyone that wants to be negative right now. He is not from the Jimmy Johnson school of there is one set of rules for the stars and another set for the rest of the team.
Because of that his teams play as teams as much as anyone in the country. Player interviews even over time start sounding the same. Over time his players start forming a great bond with one another. This is the primary reason you never saw a ton of players at WSU hit the transfer portal. Every player knew they would get their touches, everyone had a key role etc..
What Leach does need to be a big winner is a really good coach on defense. Not just good but a real fiery type. One reason Grinch worked so well with Leach was he was a real animated motivator which made up for Leach not being a real rah rah type. Trouble is Grinch is an absolute failure in big games. He was as much or more to blame in the AC losses as Leach and that problem showed up again when OU played LSU.
Summary I think if his track record holds Leach will get MSU straightened out from a team structure point of view. However make no predictions on his record until I see who hires for defense.
2) Every year you will win a game you have no business winning
Every year you'll lose a game you have no business losing
There will be at least two teams in the SEC that hold your offense under 20 points every time you play them
There will be a team you drop 50+ on every time you play them
You'll suck in openers and off of byes
You'll lose to Ole Miss 7 times in a row
You'll beat Arkansas 5 out of 6
You'll win games where you barely score 20
You'll lose games when you put up at least 50
You'll have one game a year when the offense runs the ball 20 times for 200+ yards
The rest of the year, you might not run the ball 20 times combined
Your QB's will throw for 4,500+ yards and 35+ TD's, you'll record will be 6-6
You'll go to bowls!
You'll never seriously have a shot at winning your division
The team made good decisions, played hard and executed
It ain't my fault, ask the players
Each year the Air raid will only have 7-10 plays
Each year the Air Raid will have the same 7-10 plays
Every year Leach's name will be mentioned in the coaching carousel
Leach will be your coach until it's announced he has taken the job at Illinois.
3) Get ready to shout, "JUST PUNT THE F'ING BALL!" at your TV as Leach has a seizure while trying to decide if he should punt on 4th and 4 at his own 49 yard line and wastes a timeout because he just can't help himself......... Get ready to yell, "REALLY MIKE?" when the QB lines up in the shotgun on 3rd and goal from the 6 inch line....... Get ready to yell, "GODDAMMIT!" when your team gets called for delay of game because Mike sent a WR onto the field with 10 seconds to go on the play clock and you watch the official standing over the ball to give the defense a chance to substitute........ Get ready to yell, "TAKE THE POINTS!" when Leach goes for it on 4th an goal from the 6 yard line instead of kicking the field goal and then being pissed as you realize that his decision to pass on the field goal cost you the game........... Get ready to be angry when a drive ends on downs after three incomplete passes when you had gained 40 yards on 3 rushing plays right before that. Get ready to be even more pissed when you realize that they only ran the ball 3 more times the entire game.......... Get ready to throw stuff at your TV screen as you watch a 14 point 4th quarter lead evaporate because the Air Raid is incapable of burning clock......... Get ready to sit around asking yourself how your team lost when it scored 59+ points (happened to us twice...in regulation)......... Get ready to laugh at the napkin that Leach calls a playbook as he scratches notes after an incomplete pass......... Get ready to yell "HOW THE HECK DID THAT HAPPEN?" when you lose the Egg Bowl as a 10 point favorite......... Get ready to shake your head when Mike calls out the team for being entitled or unfocused, coughs, chugs water, and than says they as coaches had failed to motivate them........ Finally, no matter how much you are paying him, get ready for him to interview for other jobs in a few years.
4) No sour grapes here. I think you should be a little worried. I doubt his offense is going to work well against any of the SECs good defenses. He could do nothing against the better couple of good defenses we had in our conference each year and you?ve got like 8 of em in the SEC. I think leach was checked out for whatever reason at WSU and was going for one last big payday as he?s probably only interested in coaching a few more years anyways. My guess is ceiling of about 8 wins there.
1) Knowing the MSU situation and what led to the firing of Moorehead, Leach is exactly a great fit for the program at this point in time. The MSU program needs focus and discipline. Every place Leach has coached the program's off the field issues have decreased and class room performance has improved. That is not debatable from anyone that wants to be negative right now. He is not from the Jimmy Johnson school of there is one set of rules for the stars and another set for the rest of the team.
Because of that his teams play as teams as much as anyone in the country. Player interviews even over time start sounding the same. Over time his players start forming a great bond with one another. This is the primary reason you never saw a ton of players at WSU hit the transfer portal. Every player knew they would get their touches, everyone had a key role etc..
What Leach does need to be a big winner is a really good coach on defense. Not just good but a real fiery type. One reason Grinch worked so well with Leach was he was a real animated motivator which made up for Leach not being a real rah rah type. Trouble is Grinch is an absolute failure in big games. He was as much or more to blame in the AC losses as Leach and that problem showed up again when OU played LSU.
Summary I think if his track record holds Leach will get MSU straightened out from a team structure point of view. However make no predictions on his record until I see who hires for defense.
2) Every year you will win a game you have no business winning
Every year you'll lose a game you have no business losing
There will be at least two teams in the SEC that hold your offense under 20 points every time you play them
There will be a team you drop 50+ on every time you play them
You'll suck in openers and off of byes
You'll lose to Ole Miss 7 times in a row
You'll beat Arkansas 5 out of 6
You'll win games where you barely score 20
You'll lose games when you put up at least 50
You'll have one game a year when the offense runs the ball 20 times for 200+ yards
The rest of the year, you might not run the ball 20 times combined
Your QB's will throw for 4,500+ yards and 35+ TD's, you'll record will be 6-6
You'll go to bowls!
You'll never seriously have a shot at winning your division
The team made good decisions, played hard and executed
It ain't my fault, ask the players
Each year the Air raid will only have 7-10 plays
Each year the Air Raid will have the same 7-10 plays
Every year Leach's name will be mentioned in the coaching carousel
Leach will be your coach until it's announced he has taken the job at Illinois.
3) Get ready to shout, "JUST PUNT THE F'ING BALL!" at your TV as Leach has a seizure while trying to decide if he should punt on 4th and 4 at his own 49 yard line and wastes a timeout because he just can't help himself......... Get ready to yell, "REALLY MIKE?" when the QB lines up in the shotgun on 3rd and goal from the 6 inch line....... Get ready to yell, "GODDAMMIT!" when your team gets called for delay of game because Mike sent a WR onto the field with 10 seconds to go on the play clock and you watch the official standing over the ball to give the defense a chance to substitute........ Get ready to yell, "TAKE THE POINTS!" when Leach goes for it on 4th an goal from the 6 yard line instead of kicking the field goal and then being pissed as you realize that his decision to pass on the field goal cost you the game........... Get ready to be angry when a drive ends on downs after three incomplete passes when you had gained 40 yards on 3 rushing plays right before that. Get ready to be even more pissed when you realize that they only ran the ball 3 more times the entire game.......... Get ready to throw stuff at your TV screen as you watch a 14 point 4th quarter lead evaporate because the Air Raid is incapable of burning clock......... Get ready to sit around asking yourself how your team lost when it scored 59+ points (happened to us twice...in regulation)......... Get ready to laugh at the napkin that Leach calls a playbook as he scratches notes after an incomplete pass......... Get ready to yell "HOW THE HECK DID THAT HAPPEN?" when you lose the Egg Bowl as a 10 point favorite......... Get ready to shake your head when Mike calls out the team for being entitled or unfocused, coughs, chugs water, and than says they as coaches had failed to motivate them........ Finally, no matter how much you are paying him, get ready for him to interview for other jobs in a few years.
4) No sour grapes here. I think you should be a little worried. I doubt his offense is going to work well against any of the SECs good defenses. He could do nothing against the better couple of good defenses we had in our conference each year and you?ve got like 8 of em in the SEC. I think leach was checked out for whatever reason at WSU and was going for one last big payday as he?s probably only interested in coaching a few more years anyways. My guess is ceiling of about 8 wins there.