Mississippi State's Mike Leach hopeful Big Ten and others will join SEC and decide to play this fall

Leach has said he believes America needs football

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump had a phone conversation with Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren about the league returning to play as soon as possible. And while it remains to be seen if the conversation might play any part at all in the Big Ten reversing its current course and joining the Southeastern Conference, Big 12 and ACC in playing football this fall, count Mississippi State head coach Mike Leach is among those hopeful such a thing happens.

Three days prior to the Trump conversation with Warren, Leach was asked this past Saturday what his thoughts were on leagues that had called off fall football possibly going back on that decision and playing. The leader of the Bulldogs left no doubt where he stands on the issue.

"Well I hope they play," Leach said. "I think America needs football. I think it lifts people up. It gives people something to gather around and celebrate. I think that would be a very positive thing."

Leach of course is in the midst of preparing for his own season. Mississippi State is scheduled to open up its season on Sept. 26 at LSU. 

Meanwhile the Big Ten and Pac-12 cancelled their fall football seasons in early August. Leach, who came to MSU from Pac-12 school Washington State, of course still has relationships with many coaches in that league. When asked a couple of weeks ago what his coaching colleagues out West felt about having no season this fall, Leach said those he had communication with were frustrated the season got called off so early.

"I can’t think of anybody that’s pleased they pulled the plug quite this fast," Leach said two weeks ago. "The science, whatever it is, there’s all sides of that. Everybody says, ‘The science.’ Anytime somebody wants to hide behind something, they throw science out there. Everybody says, ‘The science, the science, the science.’ Well you can get whatever answer you want with the science. Obviously with the plug being pulled, some of them don’t feel like the science justified it."

Time will tell if the Big Ten or anyone else decides to alter plans in the days ahead. Leach though appears to be solidly on the side of the more teams playing football this fall, the better.

"You know, it has been a fairly joyless couple of months and I think we've got to flip that around and I think football is one vehicle to do that." Leach said.

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