Throwback Thursday: LaVell Edwards Coaching Tree

#4 – Mike Leach Oct 31, 2013; Pullman, WA, USA; Washington State Cougars coach Mike Leach reacts during the game against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Martin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Mike Leach is one of the most unusual stories as a college football coach.  Rarely do you see a successful coach who has absolutely no playing experience.  Leach never actually played football at BYU or was ever a coach at BYU.  However, he attended and graduated from BYU during the late 1970’s and early 1980’s.  He attended every football game at BYU while a student, and closely studied the pass-oriented offense run by All-American quarterbacks Marc Wilson, Jim McMahon, and Steve Young.  After graduating in 1983, Leach went on to earn a Juris Doctor law degree at Pepperdine, and then a Masters Degree in Sports Science in Sports Coaching at the United States Sports Academy.  From there, Leach earned offensive coordinating positions at small colleges in the Midwest, implementing spread offense passing schemes that he learned while attending BYU.  Leach would eventually move up to take the head coaching position at Texas Tech, where he built a dynasty in Lubbock.  Using his famous “Air Raid” offense, Leach developed quarterbacks at Texas Tech who broke countless NCAA passing records that still stand today.  When recently asked about his success in the passing game, Leach responded, “I think offensively, we may look more BYU than BYU does, if you reflect on the LaVell Edwards days.  You know what I mean?  I mean, there are plays that we run … and we don’t run them exactly, but we got them from the golden days back there at BYU when LaVell Edwards was there.”