Prior to coming on board at Texas Tech, Leach, in just one season at Oklahoma, directed a Sooner offense that went from one of the worst in the Big 12 Conference to one of the best. Under Leach's tutelage, Josh Heupel was named 1999 Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year. For his efforts, Leach was nominated for the 1999 Broyles Award as the top assistant coach in the country.
Leach guided an Oklahoma offense that went from 11th in the Big 12 in 1998 to first in 1999 and 101st in the nation to 11th. In just one year, OU's total offense numbers improved from 293.3 to 427.2 yards per game.
The rise in passing and scoring offense categories is just as impressive. Oklahoma went from last to first in the Big 12 in passing offense in one year, from 107th in the country to ninth. Under Leach, the Sooners improved from 109.9 yards passing per game to 321.7 yards per game.
In 1998, Oklahoma was last in the Big 12 and 101st in the country in scoring offense at 16.7 points per game. In 1999, the Sooners improved to second in the league and eighth in the country in scoring at 36.8 points per game, an increase of just over 20 points per game.
Under Leach, the Oklahoma offense set six Big 12 Conference and 17 OU records. The Sooners were one of only two schools in the nation to have six players with 20 or more receptions in 1999.
Prior to joining Bob Stoops' Oklahoma staff, Leach served as offensive coordinator for Hal Mumme at the University of Kentucky and Valdosta (Ga.) State University. For two years at Kentucky under Mumme, Leach coached the Kentucky "Air Raid" offense that was one of the most explosive in Southeastern Conference history. Under Mumme and Leach, the Kentucky offense set six NCAA records, 41 Southeastern Conference records and 116 school records in 22 games.
Leach's Kentucky offense featured the talented Tim Couch, who passed for 4,275 yards and 34 touchdowns as a senior.
Named 1996 Division II Offensive Coordinator of the Year by American Football Quarterly magazine, Leach helped Mumme lead Valdosta State to a 40-17-1 record. The 1993 Blazer offense smashed 66 school records, 22 conference records and seven national records. In 1994, Valdosta State advanced to the Division II playoffs with Leach's offense shattering 80 school records, 35 conference records and seven more national marks.
Leach and Mumme first teamed up at Iowa Wesleyan College in 1989. From 1989 to 1991 Leach served as offensive coordinator and line coach for an offense that led the NAIA in passing yardage one season and finished second the other two. Iowa Wesleyan quarterbacks passed for more than 11,000 yards in Leach's three seasons and broke 26 national records.
Leach also has made coaching stops in Pori, Finland, where he served as a head coach in the European Football League (1989), as well as one-year stints at College of the Desert (1988) and Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo (1987).
After graduating with honors from BYU in 1983, Leach earned a master's degree from the U.S. Sports Academy and his law degree from Pepperdine University, where he graduated in the top one-third of his class.
LEACH'S FILE
PERSONAL
Born: March 9, 1961, in Susanville, Calif.
Hometown: Cody, Wyoming
Family: wife, Sharon; children, Janeen, Kim, Cody and Kiersten
High School: Cody High School
College: Brigham Young University, 1983 (American Studies)
Graduate:
Juris Doctor, Pepperdine University School of Law, 1986
Master's of Sports Science/Coaching, U.S. Sports Academy, 1988
COACHING EXPERIENCE
2000-2008 Texas Tech, Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
1999 Oklahoma, Assistant/Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
1997-1998 Kentucky, Assistant/Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
1994-1996 Valdosta State, Assistant/Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line
1992-1993 Valdosta State, Assistant/Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers/QBs
1989-1991 Iowa Wesleyan, Assistant/Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line
1989 Pori, Finland (European League), Head Coach
1988 College of the Desert, Assistant/Linebackers
1987 Cal Poly-SLO, Assistant/Offensive Line
