Mike Leach

[Old School]

We used to have some old threads discussing Mike Leach on here, but I think they're lost now.

Anyway, here's a pretty cool recent article about him and his coaching style. I like a lot of how he treats his QBs. It's unusual, but apparently effective...kind of like Leach himself:

http://espn.go.com/blog/pac12/post/_/id/100412/the-relationship-between-leach-and-his-qbs-is-what-else-unique

[Matt Dillon]

In my opinion, UK made a mistake in not hiring Mike when coach Brooks stepped down.

[Lighthouse]

In my opinion, UK made a mistake in not hiring Mike when coach Brooks stepped down.

With the way things turned out, you're certainly right.

[Spiritof96]

In my opinion, UK made a mistake in not hiring Mike when coach Brooks stepped down.

The mistake was over valuing Joker's contribution and making promises in an attempt to keep him here.

I get that the goal was continuity with what Brooks built by my God that was a disaster. In hindsight hiring ANYONE else would have been preferable.

[Matt Dillon]

The mistake was over valuing Joker's contribution and making promises in an attempt to keep him here.

I get that the goal was continuity with what Brooks built by my God that was a disaster. In hindsight hiring ANYONE else would have been preferable.

I'm not speaking from hindsight, I'm on record as wanting Mike both when coach Brooks stepped down, and when Joker was fired. And if coach Stoops can't get it done, I'd like to see Mike take his place, if UK could persuade him to come here.

[Joneslab]

Stoops looked like a good hire, and still may be. You have to have hope as a fan, even a Kentucky fan.

But looking at it realistically and pragmatically, Barnhart made a bad decision with him. Only thing is there's still time to change that.

[Brasslock]

I am not a Mike Leach fan. I have a zero tolerance policy toward coaches who demean and abuse players. Leach went to Washington State in 2012. His first year record was 3-9. In 2013 his record was 6-7. In 2014 his record was again 3-9. This past year was his best at 9-4. With all due respect, the Pac 12 is not the SEC and I don't know why anyone would think he would have fared better at Kentucky than at Washington State. Stoops record for the first his first 3 years is better than Leach's record. That is as fact-based as it gets.

[Matt Dillon]

I am not a Mike Leach fan. I have a zero tolerance policy toward coaches who demean and abuse players. Leach went to Washington State in 2012. His first year record was 3-9. In 2013 his record was 6-7. In 2014 his record was again 3-9. This past year was his best at 9-4. With all due respect, the Pac 12 is not the SEC and I don't know why anyone would think he would have fared better at Kentucky than at Washington State. Stoops record for the first his first 3 years is better than Leach's record. That is as fact-based as it gets.

Concerning player abuse, if you're referring to the Craig James' son that was a lot of balony, in my opinion. As for comparing records, one could point out that coach Stoops has had way more four and five star players to work with. At any rate, Mike Leach will never coach at UK due to their zero tolerance for anyone with warts. Mike Leach's sin is that he was here when the Mumme mess came down.

[Catsrock]

I loved Coach Brooks and there's a lot to be said for loyalty to one's friends. But, he was solely responsible for the whole "head coach in waiting concept" that stuck us with Joker. There was probably no way of knowing he was vastly superior as OC than he would prove to be an SEC HC but I'll bet that's a demand no HC has been able to pin on his AD since the Joker fiasco.

[Spiritof96]

Concerning player abuse, if you're referring to the Craig James' son that was a lot of balony, in my opinion. As for comparing records, one could point out that coach Stoops has had way more four and five star players to work with. At any rate, Mike Leach will never coach at UK due to their zero tolerance for anyone with warts. Mike Leach's sin is that he was here when the Mumme mess came down.

I didn't mean to imply that you were speaking out of hindsight earlier.

As to Leach's warts, the thing with James was likely greatly inflated due to the fame and influence of the father; but having watched Leach deal with people and especially comments made about HIS player's in press conferences, I have no trouble believing that routinely taking a dump on his players in a demeaning way is part of his "style".

[Matt Dillon]

As to Leach's warts, the thing with James was likely greatly inflated due to the fame and influence of the father; but having watched Leach deal with people and especially comments made about HIS player's in press conferences, I have no trouble believing that routinely taking a dump on his players in a demeaning way is part of his "style".

If that is the way he is, then I wouldn't want him at UK. From a personalty standpoint, the only thing I was aware of was the James situation.

[RV]

The next Mike Leach thread is two too many as far as I'm concerned but hey - it's a message board.

[Old School]

Washington State was 9-40 in the three years before Leach arrived. Kentucky was 20-30 and had been to two bowl games. Stoops inherited a weak roster, but Leach probably had the weakest roster of any major conference team when he got there. In the past three years Leach has beaten every team in the Pac 12 at least once, except for Stanford, whose Rose Bowl team beat Washington State by 2 last year. He's beaten 8 of the Pac 12 teams on the road in that time. He won 9 games in Year 4. I'd take results like that at UK.

Leach was the most consistently successful coach in the Big XII during his time at Texas Tech. Only one team in that conference had winning seasons and went to bowl games every year during that time. It wasn't Texas, it wasn't Oklahoma, it wasn't A&M; it was Texas Tech. I'd take that at UK too.

Most of his players seem to love him. The linked article gives one reason why. The one glaring exception was Craig James' walk on son, whose dad had a high profile job at ESPN and complained constantly to the school and staff that his son should get more playing time. That whole deal, like Spiritof96 and Matt Dillon put it, was baloney.

Anyway, in that article, I thought the approach to QBs and playcalling was pretty interesting.

[Blue Heaven]

Stoops looked like a good hire, and still may be. You have to have hope as a fan, even a Kentucky fan.

But looking at it realistically and pragmatically, Barnhart made a bad decision with him. Only thing is there's still time to change that.

I don't know of how you can say his hiring was a bad decision. I think it's really hard to fathom how much of a hole Joker left us in. Recruiting has been good but the results not so much. It's all about line play and depth, depth, and more depth in the SEC. Has there been bad coaching decisions? Sure, but the coach don't miss tackles and throw picks. An extra win each of the last two seasons and folks would be talking about erecting a monument for Stoops.

[40bill]

I certainly hope coach can get things going this year, but after last year I'm just crossing my fingers. Franklin turned Vandy into a team to be reckoned with....but dunno if that whole gig was a roll of the dice with one pretty good class to get that next job on the ladder. Mississippi State was at our level back in the Brooks era.
I just have to wonder if we've had two coaches in a row that were more successful as coordinators than they will be wearing the big hat. This season will show which way we are heading. A more competitive crew would give me some satisfaction.