New School, Same Motive: Why MSU's Mike Leach Is Texas A&M's Public Enemy No. 1
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Mike Leach is the SEC's drunk uncle with plenty of stories to keep you entertained during the holiday season. He wears the badge proudly of being the master of long-winded answers with little-to-no payoff.
He also has accepted his role in a love-hate relationship with Texas A&M and its fan base. He's loved the intensity the 12th Man brings each college football Saturday. He's enthralled by the traditions and pageantry found on a College Station Friday night with "Midnight Yell." Heck, he's even impressed with how the level of commitment on game days inside Kyle Field.
As for Texas A&M fans, the feeling is far from mutual.
“They hated us for years,” the Mississippi State coach said Wednesday when talking about Texas Tech. “I never felt like I really hated them. I’m sure they hated me, which is fine. Because your liking me is not mutually exclusive to me liking you. If anything, maybe it helps."
A&M coach Jimbo Fisher might not have a problem with the pirate-loving thesaurus that roams the MSU sidelines on Saturdays. A&M fans, however, do.
Leach, 61, spent 10 seasons as Texas Tech's coach when the Aggies still called the Big 12 home. Implementing the Air Raid offense out in West Texas, Leach helped transformed the Big 12 into an offensive-driven conference, filled with high-scoring matchups on the regular.
A&M was often on the losing side of games against Leach. Including last season's 26-22 win over the Aggies at Kyle Field, the long-time coach holds an 8-4 record over A&M since 2000.
The school has changed for Leach. The rivalry — in the minds of some — is still alive and well.
“A&M fans are truly committed, and it’s always great to play in front of people where they feel like what’s happening is very important to them," Leach said.
Mississippi State (3-1, 0-1 SEC) will play host to the No. 17 Aggies (3-1, 1-0 SEC) on Saturday at Davis Wade Stadium. While A&M has managed to handle business against programs like Alabama and Auburn in previous seasons under Fisher, winning against Magnolia State schools has presented itself as a challenge.
Since Fisher arrived in 2018, the Aggies have gone 4-3 against schools in Mississippi. All-time, the fifth-year head coach is 1-1 in Starkville, with A&M being outscored by the Bulldogs 42-41.
The biggest reason for the Bulldogs' offensive success? Quarterback Will Rogers. Fisher knows far too well what the junior passer can do against inept defenses through the air. Last season, Rogers went 46-of-59 passing for 408 yards and three touchdowns en route to A&M's second loss of the young campaign.
Rogers, who currently is second among all FBS passers in yards (1,386), has made his living on throwing the football early and often. This season, he's already attempted 189 passes, third-most among FBS quarterbacks. In terms of moving the ball on the ground, the Bulldogs have totaled only 91 rush attempts through four games.
“You know what Mike does. He’s going to throw the football,” Fisher said Monday. “You’re going to have to give him different looks and different packages. … Rogers can still run and scramble. He’s a good athlete.”
Leach's kryptonite is a great secondary, and A&M possesses one of the nation's best. First-year defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin on more than one occasion has elected to trust his defensive backs to make plays in coverage over his pass rush winning up front.
Last week after being down 14-0 in the first quarter of the Southwest Classic, Durkin made the switch to a three-man rush in favor of a six-defensive back look. Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson was held to 73 passing yards after the first quarter, making the Hogs offense one-dimensional in an Aggies' 23-21 victory.
So far this season, A&M is currently 10th in pass defense, allowing opponents to average 153.3 yards per game. Durkin, who previously was Ole Miss' defensive coordinator, might also have Leach's number. Last season, the Rebels held Rogers and Bulldogs to 336 yards and a touchdown in a 31-21 Egg Bowl victory.
“It’s going to come down to the secondary,” cornerback Jaylon Jones said. “We’re going to get the rush up front and things like that. As the back end, we have to execute. We know they like to throw the ball, so it’s going to come down to us doing our jobs.”
Fisher said that in 2020, A&M did its best to eliminate the deep ball. At that point, KJ Costello was still the primary starter. With Rogers, the Aggies struggled to add pressure on passing downs, allowing the 6-2, 210-pounder to throw with ease for four quarters.
Stopping Leach's Air Raid style of play is a challenge in itself. For Fisher, it's all about making Rogers sweat behind the line of scrimmage.
If A&M can do that, perhaps Leach will be sweating, too.
"You’ve got to make plays on the ball and cover," Fisher said. "Hopefully, we’ll put pressure on at times when we need to.”
Follow Cole Thompson on Twitter at @MrColeThompson
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