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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Words cannot adequately express the sorrow felt by |
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the family, friends, colleagues, and former players of pioneering |
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football coach Mike Leach, who passed away on December 12, 2022, at |
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the age of 61; and |
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WHEREAS, Over the course of 21 seasons as a head coach at |
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Texas Tech, Washington State, and Mississippi State Universities, |
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Mr. Leach became a beloved figure in the sport of college football, |
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known not only for his influential, high-powered offenses but also |
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for his wit, curiosity, and wide-ranging interests; and |
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WHEREAS, Born on March 9, 1961, in Susanville, California, |
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Michael Charles Leach was the son of Frank Leach and the former |
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Sandra Rich; he was raised in Cody, Wyoming, where he became an |
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Eagle Scout before going on to earn a bachelor's degree from Brigham |
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Young University, a master's degree from the United States Sports |
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Academy, and a juris doctor degree from the Pepperdine University |
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Caruso School of Law; after completing his legal studies in 1986, he |
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decided not to become a lawyer and instead embarked on a career as a |
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football coach; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Leach got his start at California Polytechnic |
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State University in 1987, and he later held posts at the College of |
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the Desert and in a European football league; in 1989, he was hired |
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as offensive coordinator at Iowa Wesleyan University under head |
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coach Hal Mumme; the innovative, record-setting "Air Raid" offense |
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they developed led the two to subsequent stops at Valdosta State |
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University and the University of Kentucky; Mr. Leach then joined |
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the coaching staff at the University of Oklahoma, taking over a |
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middling Sooner offense that became one of the nation's top units in |
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just one season under his direction; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1999, Mr. Leach became head coach at Texas Tech, |
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and during his 10 seasons at the helm, he guided the Red Raiders to a |
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bowl game each year and his 84 victories made him the winningest |
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football coach in the university's history; the highlight of his |
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tenure came in 2008, when the team won 11 games, and he received |
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three national Coach of the Year awards; he went on to spend eight |
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seasons as head coach at Washington State, where he compiled a 55-47 |
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record and was selected the 2018 American Football Coaches |
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Association National Coach of the Year in addition to garnering two |
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Pac-12 Coach of the Year accolades; in 2020, he took the reins at |
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Mississippi State and led the Bulldogs to three bowl appearances, |
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recording an 8-4 mark in 2022; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Leach was passionate about education, and his |
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teams routinely set records for GPA and graduation rate; he taught a |
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collegiate course on insurgent warfare and football strategies and |
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authored two books, the bestseller Swing Your Sword: Leading the |
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Charge in Football and Life and Geronimo: Leadership Strategies of |
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an American Warrior; moreover, he was a gifted mentor, and many of |
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his assistant coaches went on to successful head-coaching careers; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, Mr. Leach enjoyed the love and |
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support of his wife, the former Sharon Smith; they became the |
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parents of four children, Janeen, Kimberly, Cody, and Kiersten, and |
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they later welcomed six grandchildren into the family; and |
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WHEREAS, A singular presence in the sport of college |
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football, Mike Leach was admired for his honesty, intellect, and |
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irreverent personality, and his myriad achievements will continue |
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to be admired for many years to come; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Michael Charles Leach |
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and extend sincere condolences to the members of his family: to his |
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wife, Sharon Leach; to his daughters, Janeen Clark, Kimberly Betty, |
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and Kiersten Leach; to his son, Cody Leach; to his father, Frank |
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Leach; to his sisters, Lindsey Andrus, Mary Quackenbush, and Cara |
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Williams; to his brother, Tim Leach; to his six grandchildren; and |
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to his other relatives and many friends; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Mike Leach. |