Lincoln Riley advocates for Mike Leach at Big Ten media days

Lincoln Riley stands up for his mentor, Mike Leach.

Mike Leach is not in the College Football Hall of Fame as a head coach. The highly influential innovator who died in 2022 left an enormous imprint on college football. Any reasonable or rational person would conclude Leach deserves to be in the College Football Hall of Fame. Lincoln Riley made the case at Big Ten media days, as College Sports Wire noted:

“I know there’s been a lot of debate and talk about him belonging in the College Football Hall of Fame, and 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 game and changed a lot of people’s lives, mine included, in the process of it.

“I know there’s technicalities and rules that have to happen, but I totally agree that the Hall of Fame is simply not complete without Mike Leach being in that, and just certainly wanted to be able to represent that here on this stage.”

Riley is referring to College Football Hall of Fame policies regarding eligibility for coaches. These rules are the same rules which have kept Pete Carroll out of the Hall. It is depressing that these horrible policies have not been amended to let obviously qualified coaches into the College Football Hall of Fame.

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