Mike Leach AMA touches on marijuana, John Wooden, and more

The world has come to expect wacky answers from WSU's quirky head football coach Mike Leach, so when he participates in a Reddit AMA (ask me anything), everyone's radar is on high alert for hijinks.

I'm sad to report that today's AMA didn't really turn up much new material from the coach. Some of that was the result of lame questions, some of it was Leach neglecting to answer some of the questions that seemed to have some potential for interesting responses.

Still, there were a few answers that even those of us that have read or heard every Leach thing could find intriguing, such as his stance on marijuana use, now that the drug is fully legal in Washington state for those 21 years and older.

Q: "How are you dealing with marijuana legalization in your team's state? Have there been any talks with players about it still being against NCAA rules? Are your coaches allowed to partake in their off time or is that against university policy?"

Leach: "The marijuana rule has not been a problem for us. It is illegal on our team and if we find anyone using marijuana, we will dismiss them from the team. With all do respect to those who enjoy marijuana, I believe that it is very counter-productive to having the best focused and most productive football team that I can have. Any of our players or coaches interested in it will have to do it after they finish their time here!"

Sorry folks, no recruiting advantage to be had.

Q: "If you could go back and be an assistant coach under any head coach, who would you want to learn under?"

Leach: "Really I would like to draw from a lot of them. It's awfully hard to nail it down to just one. If I could observe a coach handling people in their program it would be John Wooden."

Here's to hoping Leach considers reading "Wooden," by Seth Davis, which I am about halfway through. Fascinating book.

Q: "What are your thoughts on the new rule about low hits to the QB?"

Leach: "It is a rule that actually helps us because we throw the ball more than anyone in the Country. I am all about QB safety, however, I am against the rule. The reason is that I think football is contaminated with too many rules and that you are asking defensive players to do something that is impossible. It is one thing if a defensive player deliberately tries to injure a QB and that should be handled accordingly, but defensive players as they are trying to get to the QB are often shoved by offensive players, are tripped, and can be thrown in there low without doing anything on their part to cause it."

This jives with Leach's take on the personal foul ejections from before last season. Let's finish off with some fast food analysis.

Q: "Have you already eaten at the new Taco Bell and if so, what did you have?"

Leach: "Over the years, I have eaten at a number of Taco Bell's and they are all very similar yet I am excited to eat the new one here in Pullman! Believe it or not, my order always includes the original bean burrito and the original taco, and then I will venture out on another item or two. I do, however, miss Mongolian Fire which is the restaurant that used to be there."

Turns out, coach and I have a lot in common - I love the bean burritos too. You can read the rest of the AMA responses here.