USC Football: Lincoln Riley Believes Late Pac-12 Coach of Year Deserves Hall of Fame Nod

Riley gave this deceased coach a Hall of Fame endorsement.

Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports

Before taking questions at Big Ten Media Day, USC football head coach Lincoln Riley used part of his opening statement to share his belief that the late Mike Leach deserves a spot in the College Football Hall of Fame.

"Before I get into our team, I know a couple of my counterparts have said some of the same things regarding this notion," Riley said Wednesday. "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 here on this stage. That's something that's very important to me.

"He changed the games and a lot of people's lives ... I agree that the Hall of Fame is simply not complete without Mike Leach," Riley said.

Leach worked as a coach in college football for over 30 years, working as a position coach and offensive coordinator for a decade before earning his first head coaching job with Texas Tech in 2000. Leach was the head coach for Texas Tech, Washington State, and Mississippi State before his death in 2022 from complications due to a heart condition.

Over his coaching career, Leach popularized the Air Raid offense as his passing offenses at Texas Tech and Washington State regularly led college football. His teams would regularly beat ranked opponents, and Leach was a two-time Pac-12 Coach of the Year and the Big 12 Coach of the Year in 2008.

Riley began his coaching career under Leach, and knows firsthand the kind of coach that Leach was. Riley took a job as a student assistant at Texas Tech in 2003 and later became a graduate assistant and wide receivers coach under Leach.

Despite many coaches across college football calling for Leach to make the College Football Hall of Fame, the hall's criteria states that coaches must have at least a .600 winning percentage to garner consideration. Leach was just shy of that mark, posting a .596 win rate over his career. There have been exceptions to this rule in the past, meaning that there is a chance Leach could make the Hall of Fame in the future.

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