2024 -25 College Football and College Football Playoff Thread

[Mr. Nielsen]

Mississippi State University Head Football Coach Michael Charles "Mike" Leach passed away last night (Monday, Dec. 12) at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, Mississippi, following complications from a heart condition. He was 61.

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." 

[WhiteTrash]

Too sad. Loved that guy. While being a great football coach he clearly didn't think football was everything in life.

[tower912]

Wow.

RIP.

Enjoy the time you have.

[The Sultan]

Unique dude who made college football more interesting both on and off the field.  And showed how you don't have to be an all-in, 110% nut-job to be successful.

[muwarrior69]

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/mike-leach-longtime-college-football-coach-dead

[Pakuni]

Purdue hiring Illinois DC Ryan Walters as its next head coach.

[The Sultan]

Purdue hiring Illinois DC Ryan Walters as its next head coach.

That seems underwhelming...especially when their AD just said this a few days ago: "The opportunity that we present to candidates today is distinctly different than it was in 2016. At that point, it was a hope, a dream, a wish that good things can happen in and around Purdue football. Well, now we have evidence that good things can happen around Purdue football."

Hiring the 36 year old defensive coordinator, who was working for a defensive head coach, doesn't seem at first to fit that statement. But we will see.

[WhiteTrash]

Purdue hiring Illinois DC Ryan Walters as its next head coach.

That is interesting. Thought Purdue could do better than that. Did Purdue beat out anyone else to get that hire?

[Pakuni]

That is interesting. Thought Purdue could do better than that. Did Purdue beat out anyone else to get that hire?

He was considered Colorado's backup plan if Deion said no, and is considered one of the top assistants out there.
He might flop, but is he any worse than some of the other guys reportedly tied to the job (Leonhard, Tyson Helton, etc.)?

[The Sultan]

He was considered Colorado's backup plan if Deion said no, and is considered one of the top assistants out there.
He might flop, but is he any worse than some of the other guys reportedly tied to the job (Leonhard, Tyson Helton, etc.)?

If those were the other names attached to the gig, it feels like a less-than-ambitious search.

[WhiteTrash]

He was considered Colorado's backup plan if Deion said no, and is considered one of the top assistants out there.
He might flop, but is he any worse than some of the other guys reportedly tied to the job (Leonhard, Tyson Helton, etc.)?

Good to know. You never know about these things, if I remember correctly Sonny Dykes wasn't considered a great hire by the "experts" last year.

[MU82]

Wow.

RIP.

Enjoy the time you have.

You got that right.

61 effen years old. Damn.

[JWags85]

You got that right.

61 effen years old. Damn.

Even more crazy cause he was literally in the news last week being classic Mike Leach about a player in the portal.

Normally you see coaches with health problems step back before their decline, not so sudden like this basically in season.  Makes me think of Randy Walker, former Miami U and Northwestern coach, sudden heart attack at 52 in the offseason.

[Jockey]

Too sad. Loved that guy. While being a great football coach he clearly didn't think football was everything in life.

The guy was certifiably nuts - in a good way.

[JWags85]

The guy was certifiably nuts - in a good way.

I just remembered a Leach story.  Friend I used to play soccer with in Chicago was a Wazzu grad.  She moved back to Seattle 5-6 years ago.  Ended up reconnecting with and getting married to a guy she knew in college. 

Well they were at brunch one weekend in the summer somewhere in Seattle, nowhere notable, and her husband had a Wazzu hat on.  Some random appetizer (i think nachos) appeared at the table they didn't order.  Server said that gentleman over there sent it, and they look over to see Mike Leach smiling and waving.  They are like "is that Mike Leach?  I think it is. Should we say something?"

Few min later, Leach ambles over and goes "Hi, I'm Mike, I coach football at Washington State, I saw your hat, nice hat, nice color choice"  Min or two of chit chat about them being alums.  Then he goes "hope you like nachos, I do.  Otherwise, they're free, whatever, have a good one"  And pats her fiance on the shoulder and walks out.

Dude was 1 of 1.  Also loved that the majority of his coaching career was in the most random of places.  Palm Springs, rural Iowa, middle of nowhere Georgia, Lubbock, Pullman, F'ING FINLAND.  Even Starkville is remote.  Except for his time at OU, he was never within 2 hours of a major city, which I think only helped his quirky personality and media persona.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Mississippi State University Head Football Coach Michael Charles "Mike" Leach passed away last night (Monday, Dec. 12) at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, Mississippi, following complications from a heart condition. He was 61.

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."

Sad.  RIP

[wadesworld]

https://www.instagram.com/p/CmH8-LIOv1D/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

[shoothoops]

Purdue hiring Illinois DC Ryan Walters as its next head coach.

He was very good at Illinois and Missouri.

[JWags85]

https://www.instagram.com/p/CmH8-LIOv1D/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

For all his quips at press conferences and media days, the fact that he would answer LITERALLY any question on field, sincerely, while most coaches tried to blow by these interviews with stock answers, is one of the most hilarious things about his legacy.

[JWags85]

Watching the Celebration bowl a bit, I know people are all amped yelling nepotism about Deion naming his kid the new starter at Colorado, but he's damn good.  And the thing is, he was being recruited at a higher level than CU recruits even in HS.  He was top 25 QB/top 250 overall recruit with a bunch of SEC offers.  And if he entered the portal organically this year, he'd have top 25 caliber programs, at the very least above average P5 teams, clamoring for him.  I'm excited to see him against Pac12/high level competition

[MU82]

Florida International signed tight end recruit Rowdy Beers.

Central Arkansas signed safety recruit Dude Person.

[The Sultan]

Dabo is so weird. 

https://twitter.com/zachTNT/status/1605650882963640324

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Florida International signed tight end recruit Rowdy Beers.

Central Arkansas signed safety recruit Dude Person.

Neither is equal to General Booty

[Dr. Blackheart]

Neither is equal to General Booty

Is his brother named Luscious Booty?

[wadesworld]

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CmPvvK4gymh/?igshid=YWJhMjlhZTc=

Had never heard this. So good.