Mike Leach was a genius and a weirdo in the best possible ways. The longtime college football head coach was a mainstay among the Power 5 conferences not just for his ability to shape how programs across the country viewed their offenses but his affable demeanor, stream of consciousness press conferences and willingness to allow people — players, reporters, pretty much anyone who asked, really — into his life.
After his passing was announced December 13, social media became a staging ground for tributes toward one of the most influential coaches in the game. While most of these were great, heartfelt memories of an unforgettable personality from some of the best writers in America, the best encapsulation of who Mike Leach was may have come from a graduate student at a rival school, asking about which animals he’d want to have his back in a fight.
