Mike Leach mentioned as possible candidate at Mississippi State

You thought the silly season was over, didn’t you? Now that Mike Leach signed a contract extension, signed a new batch of recruits and completed the Cheez-It Bowl, you thought the 2019 season was over and done with, and the football program is fully focused on the offseason and preparations for the 2020 season.

Nope!

Thanks to Mississippi State Bulldogs’ firing of Joe Moorhead yesterday, a high-profile job opening landed in everybody’s laps on Jan. 3 (it’s high profile because it’s in the SEC). And wouldn’t you know it? Your favorite follow on Twitter is mentioned as a possible replacement:

It’d be pretty fun to try and guess who that Power 5 AD is, so feel free to do so. It’s only one person, but Leach’s name is mentioned in other articles as well.

Notably, Leach’s name is absent in Bruce Feldman’s piece in The Athletic ($). It’s notable because Leach and Feldman are close, having written a book together. One could assume Feldman would include Leach’s name if Feldman knew there was interest from Leach’s side of things. Who knows!

Can you imagine the Egg Bowl with Leach on one sideline and Lane Kiffin on the other?

All of this is guesswork and there is no indication right now that Leach is a serious candidate. But it has to be flattering. Heck, an SEC coach told his quarterback to go play for Leach!

Television

The stats in this tweet were making the rounds yesterday on the Internet:

Crazy, right? This got me thinking about my own television habits.

The vast majority of my TV time includes sporting events, and I can’t tell you that I watch any current scripted TV shows nowadays. The scripted shows I watch are all on Netflix or Amazon Prime (I don’t have Hulu or Disney+ but I’m sure many of you watch shows there as well). If I’m not watching a sporting event or streaming an old TV show, I’m probably watching a documentary of some sort (I highly recommend the following: Wild Wild Country; Evil Genius; American Experience: Ruby Ridge; and The Devil Next Door).

Live sporting events are going to be so valuable in the coming year. They already are, clearly. What this means for the Pac-12’s next TV deal remains to be seen, but boy are the stakes high.

Links

Football

Source: Florida coach urged transfer quarterback Feleipe Franks to consider Washington State | The Spokesman-Review
According to a Spokesman-Review source, Florida coach Dan Mullen recommended that former Gators quarterback Feleipe Franks take a serious look at the Cougars and consider spending his final collegiate season in Pullman so he could “get developed by Leach.”

Q&A: Former Eastern Washington and Cougars quarterback Gage Gubrud opens up about his Washington State experience | The Spokesman-Review
Before Gage Gubrud pursued a graduate transfer, he was considered one of the finest quarterbacks in the Football Championship Subdivision and likely headed for a professional career north of the border.

Joe Moorhead Fired By Mississippi State 5 Possible Coaching Candidates
Mississippi State fired Joe Moorhead after two years. Who are the possible candidates to replace him?

Mississippi State fires Joe Moorhead, should target Mike Leach – Major Wager

Basketball

Homestand Closes With UCLA in Town - Washington State University Athletics
The Cougs host the Bruins to end the opening weekend of Pac-12 play.

Washington State Opens 2020 with a Road Trip to No. 4/5 Stanford - Washington State University Athletics
STANFORD, Calif. – The Washington State University women's basketball team opens 2020 this Friday, Jan. 3, seeking its first Pac-12 Conference win of the season.

Beer

Alcohol sales at Beasley Coliseum enliven gameday experience for Washington State basketball fans | The Spokesman-Review
PULLMAN – In more ways than one, Washington State fans are promised a more refreshing experience at home basketball games this season. Kyle Smith and his defensive philosophies have already made the Cougars more competitive on the court and earlier this week, WSU’s athletic administration introduced another amenity that should enliven the gameday experience for alumni, students and casual fans who gather at Beasley Coliseum over the next few months.