Mississippi State Honors Mike Leach With Helmet Logo at Bowl Game

Mississippi State is slated to play its first recreation because the loss of life of former head coach Mike Leach on Monday, and the staff will honor Leach through the recreation. The Bulldogs revealed they are going to put on a helmet with a pirate flag as a brand, as an alternative of the standard college brand, within the ReliaQuest Bowl in opposition to Illinois at Tampa, Fla.

All through his profession, Leach earned the nickname The Pirate, partially due to his distinctive persona and partially due to his affinity for pirates. As groups have been honoring Leach throughout this bowl season, a number of have used the pirate flag because the image to indicate their respect for the influential coach.

The Bulldogs might have skipped the bowl recreation whereas mourning their head coach, however the staff was adamant that it needed to play within the recreation.

“Mike can be pissed if we did not play,” a supply advised Sports activities Illustrated’s Ross Dellenger in December. “The bowl recreation is at a stadium with an precise pirate ship in it.”

It’s, the truth is, becoming that Mississippi State might be taking part in in Raymond James Stadium, dwelling of the Buccaneers. That may be a stadium that actually has a pirate ship in one of many end-zone concourses as an adjunct.

No. 22 Mississippi State (8-4) performs Illinois (8-4) at midday ET on Monday.