USC Trojans Coach Lincoln Riley Discusses Legacy of Mike Leach

Mike Leach left his mark on the game with his 'Air Raid' offense and as one of the great personalities in college football. USC Trojans coach Lincoln Riley, who began his coaching career under Leach at Texas Tech spoke about his former mentor's legacy.

Jul 19, 2022; Atlanta, GA, USA; Mississippi State head coach Mike Leach shown on the stage during SEC Media Days at the College Football Hall of Fame. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Mike Leach was an offensive innovator. The former Texas Tech, Washington State and Mississippi State coach left his mark on the game with the introduction of the Air Raid offense. Leach revolutionized football and his concepts have taken over the sport at all levels. 

His mind inspired a whole generation, none probably bigger than USC Trojans coach Lincoln Riley, who was first introduced to Leach when he was a walk-on quarterback at Texas Tech in 2002. 

Jul 19, 2022; Atlanta, GA, USA; Mississippi State head coach Mike Leach shown on the stage during SEC Media Days at the College Football Hall of Fame. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Riley would spend the next three seasons as a student assistant and then one as a graduate assistant. Leach then promoted Riley to his staff as the receiver coach by the time he was 23 years old, where he spent the next three seasons. 

Riley went onto become the offensive coordinator at East Carolina and Oklahoma, before taking over as head coach for the Sooners in 2017. He has made a name for himself in the college game, most notably earning a reputation as a “quarterback whisper” because of his track record when it comes to developing signal-callers. 

Three former quarterbacks under Riley have won the Heisman Trophy and then gone on to be selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft — Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray and Caleb Williams. 

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Jalen Hurts finished second in the Heisman race back in his lone season with Oklahoma in 2019 and just led the Philadelphia Eagles to a win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX last season and claimed Super Bowl MVP honors. 

Riley keeps a picture of Leach in his office as a memory of his late mentor, who passed away in December 2022. Riley understands the impact Leach has had not only on his life, but what he has meant to college football as a whole. 

Dec 27, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts against the Texas A&M Aggies in the second half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Leach wasn’t just a great offensive mind, but one of the great personalities the sport has seen. He provided all-time rants and hot takes that made every time he stepped up to a microphone must-see TV. 

It’s only right that someone like that should be remembered, right? 

Leach has a career winning percentage of .598 with a career record of 158-106, which fell below the minimum career winning percentage .600 for eligibility into the College Football Hall of Fame and caused some major controversy. 

"Mike Leach meant a lot to my career, instrumental in my upbringing," Riley said last year at the Big Ten Media Days. "I know there's been a lot of debate and talk about him belonging in the College Football Hall of Fame. I certainly want to voice my support for that happening. That's something that's very important to me."

Nov 24, 2022; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs head coach Mike Leach speaks with quarterback Will Rogers (2) during the first quarter of the game against the Ole Miss Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-Imagn Images | Matt Bush-Imagn Images

However, The National Football Foundation (NFF) adjusted the minimum career winning percentage for coaching eligibility from .600 to .595 in May, opening the door for Leach to be inducted into football immortality beginning with the 2027 class. 

“Our football administrative head, Dave Emerick, who also worked with Mike, texted me ahead of time. It was great to see them do the right thing,” Riley told On3. “Mike, obviously, deserves to be in the hall of fame. He’s got an impact in college football that goes well beyond records or wins and losses. His impact on the game, on so many of us, is honestly hard to measure.”