Just a week ago the football world lost a great influencer of the game. Mike Leach was gone far too soon but the impact he had will never be forgotten. Many Oklahoma fans remember him for that 1999 season, and who could forget the playsheet trick in the Red River Rivalry game?
From high school to the NFL, you can see parts of the Air Raid System being installed. If you loved passing offense, Mike Leach was the man for you. Even his running game had elements of the passing offense. His teams put up points and yards in flourishes.
At Texas Tech from 2002-2009, Leach’s offense ranked among the top 15 in points per game every single season. With Graham Harrell as the quarterback, it reached its peak at 43.8 that season, which was No. 3 in FBS. Twice at Washington State, it was among the top 15 scoring offenses.
Beyond the scoring, he perfected the Air Raid and others have taken concepts and added them to their offenses. Leach left his mark on the game and now his disciples will carry it forward.
I put together a list of the most notable assistants to become head coaches and high-level assistants. From the 2000 Texas Tech team alone, there were a total of nine players and assistants who would move on to become head coach.