Head coach Mike Leach surprised the college football world this past week when he took it upon himself to fill a coaching vacancy elsewhere. Leach agreed to move on from the Washington State Cougars and take the same job with the Mississippi State Bulldogs. The coach left Washington State for a four-year contract that is worth $20 million, giving him $5 million per season. He can also earn other bonuses for Coach of the Year, appearing in the SEC Title Game, and for winning the conference title game. He would also earn bonuses for each appearance in a bowl game, making the College Football Playoffs, and winning a National Title.
Leach will receive $4.1 million to pay assistant coaches that make up his coaching staff, as the school announced their new coach on Thursday. Athletic director John Cohen spoke very highly of Leach after the move was finalized, stating that their new coach is a "proven winner who has established a culture of excellence for nearly two decades as a coach."
The now former Cougars coach expressed nothing but love for his old program, despite leaving them after agreeing to a one-year contract extension on December 5th, before their appearance in the Cheez-It Bowl. He was also reportedly in the mix for the coaching gigs at Arkansas and Tennessee.
He went 55-47 over eight seasons with Washington State, making it to five consecutive bowl games over the past five seasons. They fell off from a No. 10 ranking and an 11-win season in 2018 to go just 6-7 in 2019 and suffered a 31-21 loss to Navy in their bowl game. Leach is ready to return to a bigger conference and hopefully bring some of that success with him, which includes 16 bowl appearances in 18 years as a head coach.
Leach will receive $4.1 million to pay assistant coaches that make up his coaching staff, as the school announced their new coach on Thursday. Athletic director John Cohen spoke very highly of Leach after the move was finalized, stating that their new coach is a "proven winner who has established a culture of excellence for nearly two decades as a coach."
The now former Cougars coach expressed nothing but love for his old program, despite leaving them after agreeing to a one-year contract extension on December 5th, before their appearance in the Cheez-It Bowl. He was also reportedly in the mix for the coaching gigs at Arkansas and Tennessee.
He went 55-47 over eight seasons with Washington State, making it to five consecutive bowl games over the past five seasons. They fell off from a No. 10 ranking and an 11-win season in 2018 to go just 6-7 in 2019 and suffered a 31-21 loss to Navy in their bowl game. Leach is ready to return to a bigger conference and hopefully bring some of that success with him, which includes 16 bowl appearances in 18 years as a head coach.
