There has been speculation that Mike Leach could be an option as the next head coach at Arkansas. The question is, if the Pirate’s skin is this thin in the Pac-12, how would he survive in the ultra-competitive spotlight that is SEC football?
Friday evening, Washington had little problem in dropping rival Washington State in a 31-13 win. It was the Huskies’ seventh straight win in the Apple Cup, and Leach’s seventh straight loss in the rivalry after claiming a win in his first season with the Cougars.
Following the latest loss in the rivalry, the postgame press conference featured a heated exchange (on Leach’s end) between the coach and a member of the media to whom Leach referred to as a “sanctimonious troll.”
From the Seattle Times:Mike, this is the seventh year in a row they’ve gotten you, and they haven’t been really close games. How frustrating is it to keep coming up like this?
“Well it’s frustrating. I do find this part of it interesting, though. You guys rank their recruiting class in the top 10, then you’re always surprised when they win. So I think that maybe that would have a little something to do with it.”
So you’re not supposed to beat teams that have higher-ranked recruiting classes?
“Well, we certainly have before. We didn’t win this one. And I don’t care to have a big discussion with you on it because I don’t really care what you think—”
Mike, you’re playing with nine—
“—you run your little column and stuff like some sanctimonious troll, where you’ve never been fair or even-handed with us, so I really don’t care what you think. OK, go ahead, because you’re going to write some really nasty stuff like you always do. And I don’t know which Coug way back when did something that offended you, but I don’t really care about that either. If you can live your little meager life in your hole and write nasty things and that makes you feel even, you go right ahead.”
Mike Leach was asked about losing his 7th straight Apple Cup, said that recruiting has to do with it, then was asked if he wasn't supposed to beat teams with bigger recruiting classes by Jon Blanchette, and then went off. Called him a sanctimonious troll. pic.twitter.com/jXmG328ZSu
— Brenna Greene (@BrennaGreene_) November 30, 2019
Just spitballing here, by I don’t think that the scrutiny that comes with an SEC job would be Leach’s cup of tea.
On the other hand, the press conferences would be glorious, so there’s that as well.
