Leach was a good coach who had success at three different P5 programs. His career was nice, and his sudden and unexpected passing is tragic. That being said, voting him in now would just be a response to the tragedy. That's exactly why they have that rule.

He was a good coach, but would you put him in the same category as Hayes, Bryant, Schembechler, Bowden, Paterno or Saban? I don't believe he ever won an outright conference championship.

So Dennis Franchione with his 0.612 winning percentage is eligible for the Hall of Fame, but Mike Leach isn't? That tells you just about everything you need to know about the stupid rule.

Uhh... I think he retired... and it wasn't voluntary. He gets a pass.

So if my math is right, Leach would of had to go 9-3 next year or 8-4 the next two years to get to .600.

Loftin said:

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Leach was a good coach who had success at three different P5 programs. His career was nice, and his sudden and unexpected passing is tragic. That being said, voting him in now would just be a response to the tragedy. That's exactly why they have that rule.

He was a good coach, but would you put him in the same category as Hayes, Bryant, Schembechler, Bowden, Paterno or Saban? I don't believe he ever won an outright conference championship.

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Yea. I would put him the same conversation. He was a winner everywhere he coached.

fun fact...

Jackie was 180-120-4

exactly .600

If you exclude 2020/Covid games, he's above .600.
If the Ncaa doesn't count the covid season towards a players eligibility, it should exclude those games towards a coaches percentage.

If he makes it into the HOF he will definitely be on the lower tier of coaches in regards to winning percentage. Not the lowest but most definitely in the bottom 20%. Having said that given his impact on the game, length of tenure, and the overall awesomeness he exuded he most definitely deserves to be there.

in 21 seasons...only 1 of Leach's teams finished in the AP top 10

Washington State (11-2) in 2018 finished #10

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for comparison...in 27 seasons...Bill Synder's teams finished in the AP top 10 six times

DimebagsGhost said:

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is he really a hall of famer?

I mean, he was fun to listen to, but not a top coach.

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He won at **** programs.

Leach was innovative and successful with his style of offense. It was helped by dumb coaches on the other side who would continue to apply a traditional defense. Those coaches who applied the proper D could beat his style. Same thing happened years ago with the wishbone. Coaches were stubborn with the defense and when the ND coach Ara Parseghian applied the mirror concept it worked. Then others picked it up.

It still was 11 vs 11. Just use them right.

Leach's winning percentage would be higher if you removed the first 2 years he coached at a program that was in the dumps until he got his players right and system in place.

Took the basement of the PAC to the Pac championship in under 4 years, but his first 2 years were hella stinkers.

They'll put him in. They'll get hammered if they don't.

Loftin said:

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Leach was a good coach who had success at three different P5 programs. His career was nice, and his sudden and unexpected passing is tragic. That being said, voting him in now would just be a response to the tragedy. That's exactly why they have that rule.

He was a good coach, but would you put him in the same category as Hayes, Bryant, Schembechler, Bowden, Paterno or Saban? I don't believe he ever won an outright conference championship.

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I would not. However, I do not think you have to be in the same category as those guys to be Hall of Fame worthy. That's like not putting a guy in the MLB Hall of Fame because he's not another Babe Ruth.

It is the Hall of FAME. Not the Hall of Conference Championship Winners. And Mike Leach fascinated and helped transform college football for decades. Put him in.