A rule changed on Thursday makes the late mic leach eligible for the college football hall of fame.
The National Football Foundation dropped the minimum required win percentage for coaches from .600 to 595, a change that is in effect with 2027 voting.
Leach, which died on December 12, 2022 at 61, compiled a .596 winning percentage (158–107 records) in 21 sessions in Texas Tech (2000-09), Washington State (2012-19) and Mississippi State (2020-22).
All other eligibility requirements for coaches are unchanged, including minimum of 10 seasons and 100 games.
Coaches are eligible to consider three full sessions after retirement or immediately after retirement if they are at least 70 years of age. Active coaches are eligible when reaching the age of 75 years.
NFF Chairman and CEO Steve Hachail said in a news release, “NFF college is NFF to preserve the integrity and reputation of the Football Hall of Fame.” “This adjustment reflects thoughtful dialogue with leaders across the game and allows us to identify coaches, whose contribution to the game is beyond a narrow statistical range.”
The leach was named Big 12 Coach of the Year in 2008 and PAC -12 Coach of the Year in 2015 and 2018. He took his teams to 17 bowl games.
The leach died after complications related to the state of the heart. Three weeks later, the interim coach Zach Arnett directed the Mississippi state to win a 19–10 victory against Illinois at Reliyakvest Bowl.
-Bield level media
