The passing of Mike Leach Resonates with Gardner Minshew, Andre Dillard

Quarterback Gardner Minshew shined under Leach at Washington State and Andre Dillard developed into a first-round draft pick on his former coach's watch

PHILADELPHIA – The passing of Mississippi State football coach Mike Leach resonated in the Eagles’ locker room on Wednesday, with backup quarterback Gardner Minshew and reserve offensive lineman Andre Dillard emotionally recounting their time with Leach at Washington State.

Even Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni praised Leach, who passed away Monday night at 61 due to complications related to a heart condition.

“Anytime a team is throwing it 60 times, you're like, what did they do right there, how did they do this, and we've definitely gotten plays from his tape that we still run today and that we liked and were very interesting,” said Sirianni.

“I just think he had an awesome way about him of everything, the way he coached, the energy he coached with, the way he talked to the media. There were just a lot of things to like about the man. He'll be missed in this sport.”

Minshew talked about quarterback meetings under Leach, meetings that often ran long and delayed the start of practices.

“He loves football, but he loves telling a story,” an emotional Minshew said at his locker on Wednesday.

Sometimes QB meetings at Washington State veered into nothing to do with football at all.

“If he gets hooked on a story, we’re going to be 30 minutes late to practice,” said Minshew. “That happened multiple times. 

"The whole team would be on the field waiting for us to practice and he’d be in there talking about the best pizza place in Portland or how the Oregon beaches are underrated. It’s just those little things that were just so him that you really cherish.”

Mike Leach / USA Today

Minshew said that without Leach, he would not have had any kind of NFL career and that he would probably be coaching college football.

It helped emotionally to have Dillard around to commiserate with. Dillard was the left tackle at Washington State with Minshew, and the two had shared experiences with Leach.

Dillard was the first person he sought out on Wednesday as the team returned from its day off.

“I gave him a big hug,” Minshew said.

Dillard was a first-round pick of the Eagles in 2019; Minshew went in the sixth round to Jacksonville.

“We have each other’s back, we can relate to each other, and know we’re here for each other and all that,” said Dillard. “The night I got drafted, (Leach) called me and said, 'You are a (bleeping) stud. If you need anything, whatever, I’m here.'

"I had just been drafted so I was like, wow, there were a lot of emotions, but I thanked him. He was definitely a special person.”

Minshew started 20 games for the Jaguars before being traded to the Eagles prior to the 2021 season.

He had been just a run-of-the-mill college quarterback for two seasons at East Carolina before deciding to transfer to Washington State for the 2018 season.

The quarterback took flight in Leach’s Air Raid offense, completing 70.7% of his 468 pass attempts for 4,779 yards, 38 touchdowns, and nine interceptions.

“I never felt more myself, more comfortable being myself than when I was with coach Leach,” said Minshew. “I think the way he believed in me…that belief, that’s something that really resonates, and that’s something I tell any parent, coach, teacher, the best thing you can do for a kid is believe in them.

“He did that for me, and it changed my life. I’m always going to be grateful for him and the way he believed in me.”

Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Fan Nation Eagles Today and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglesmaven.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.