Mike Leach memorial: Live updates as Mississippi State honors coach, college football icon

STARKVILLE — The eyes of the school soccer world flip towards Starkville on Tuesday as Mississippi State hosts a memorial service honoring, mourning, and celebrating the lifetime of former soccer coach Mike Leach.

Leach, who died at 61 on Dec. 12 after issues from a coronary heart situation, will probably be honored inside Humphrey Coliseum. Doorways open at midday with the ceremony beginning at 1 p.m. For individuals who can not attend, the service will probably be aired on SEC Community and might be streamed on the ESPN web site and app.

Friends from throughout the nation are anticipated to attend. Audio system haven’t been introduced, however Leach’s legacy might name for some massive names, significantly in faculty soccer, to take the stage.

Leach is remembered as one of the crucial revolutionary and influential coaches in fashionable soccer. His position in creating the Air Raid offense is widely known alongside a persona in contrast to some other within the sport.

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Leach’s teaching profession began in 1987 as an assistant at Cal Poly. He adopted that up with stints at Faculty of the Desert, Iowa Wesleyan, Valdosta State, Kentucky and Oklahoma. In 2000, he lastly obtained an opportunity as a head coach at Texas Tech.

Leach spent 10 seasons with the Pink Raiders earlier than he was fired in 2009. After a pair years away from teaching, he returned to the sidelines at Washington State, the place he spent eight seasons. He was employed by Mississippi State in 2020 and coached the Bulldogs to a 19-17 mark in three seasons.

Mike Leach memorial service: Reside updates

MSU radio voice Neil Worth introduces Mississippi State president Mark Keenum.

Keenum shared a narrative about Leach pushing for a 64-team CFP and making an attempt to leverage Keenum’s standing because the chairman of the CFP’s Board of Managers to make it occur. He additionally gave his condolences to the Leach household.

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey is subsequent as much as the rostrum.

Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin is in attendance.

USC coach Lincoln Riley and former Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops are anticipated to talk immediately.

Additionally anticipated to talk: Mississippi State QB Will Rogers and LB Nathaniel Watson, together with MSU president Mark Keenum.

A full, however not essentially full, checklist:

Stefan Krajisnik is the Mississippi State beat author for the Clarion Ledger. Contact him at skrajisnik@gannett.com or comply with him on Twitter @skrajisnik3.