VALLEY OF THE PAID, Ariz. — When TCU won the field for the semi-finals of the College Football League with Michigan at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl on Saturday, Horned Frogs will pay tribute to Mike Leach, coach Sonny Dykes said.
That tribute will include a pirate flag sticker on the helmets of all TCU players.
“I think that’s going to be a big part of how I feel before tomorrow’s game – just the impact Mike has had on my life and indeed college football in general,” Dykes said Thursday. Six. “I’m sure there will be a small thank you to Coach Leach before I go on the pitch, that’s what he means to me personally in my life.
“I certainly wouldn’t be here without his guidance or mentorship and the enormous impact he has had on my life.”
Leach, coach for 21 seasons, passed away December 12 at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson for heart disease. He was 61 years old.
Dykes is an assistant to Leach employees at Texas Technology from 2000 to 2006, serving as an extensive recording coach and then a co-attack coordinator. Dykes, who previously worked with Leach as an assistant at Kentucky under head coach Hal Mumme, was hit hard by the “Air Raid” attack developed by Mumme and Leach.
“He’s just an original guy who does things his way, someone with an out-of-the-box mindset, and I’m really lucky and fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with him,” Dykes said.
TCU offensive coordinator Garrett Riley played quarterback at Texas Tech for Leach, who was nicknamed the Pirates.
Both Dykes and Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh grew up as the sons of college head coaches — Jack Harbaugh was at Western Michigan and Western Kentucky; Spike Dykes is a longtime coach at Texas Tech.
Jim Harbaugh mentioned his father talking about fond memories of going to the coaches’ clinic and talking to Spike Dykes.
“The clinic is really after the clinic,” says Harbaugh. “They’ll go to the hotel bar, have a beer, and suddenly the paper and napkin come flying in. And they’re drawing plays and can’t wait to talk about football and tell them everything you know. We are. Don’t do that. That’s what changed.”
Dykes joked that when he grew up, he would come home from a high school football game at 1 a.m. and his dad would drink in the living room with rival coaches, such as Texas A&M‘s RC Slocum, the night before their match.
“So in that spirit, I was going to invite Coach Harbaugh to the hotel tonight to see if we’d like to open a bottle of bourbon and reminisce a bit,” Dykes said as both coaches both smile. “I don’t know if he’ll accept me.”
“It’s past my bedtime,” Harbaugh said.
