Tennessee football coach Josh Heupel on Mike Leach: 'He saw something in me when no one else did'

Tennessee football coach Josh Heupel reflected on a critical start to his career with the loss of his former associate and mentor Mike Leach.

During Leach's time as Oklahoma football's offensive coordinator under Bob Stoops in 1999, Leach advised Heupel as the Sooners' quarterback following his transfer from Snow College, a two-year school in Utah. Although Leach left the following year to become head coach at Texas Tech, Heupel continued to shine for the Sooners. The Aberdeen, South Dakota, native was the Heisman Trophy runner-up in 2000 and led Oklahoma to a national championship victory against Florida State in the 2001 Orange Bowl.

As coaches, Heupel and Leach developed their relationship in the SEC. The Tennessee football coach credited Leach with having a strong impact on his life and reflected on their friendship following the news of his death on Tuesday.

"I am heartbroken on the passing of Coach Leach," Heupel said in a statement. "In 1999, he gave a kid out of Snow College in Utah a shot at major college football. He saw something in me when no one else did. I am grateful for Coach Leach's impact on my life both personally and professionally. His offensive philosophy and vision were ahead of his time, and they continue to shape the game today. Off the field he was a one of a kind − an incredible storyteller, a man full of wisdom and someone who always cared about his former players and coaches. I enjoyed our friendship over the years. My deepest condolences go out to Leach's family, his wife Sharon, his grandkids and the entire Mississippi State football program."

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Leach was a head coach for 21 seasons, with jobs at Texas Tech and Washington State before joining the Bulldogs in January 2020. He had a 158-107 career record, including a 19-17 mark in three seasons with Mississippi State.

The third-year Bulldogs coached died on Monday night after suffering complications from a heart condition, per MSU. Mississippi State president Mark Keenum and interim athletics director Bracky Brett named defensive coordinator Zach Arnett as interim coach when Leach was hospitalized.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: mike-leach-death-tennessee-football-coach-josh-heupel-reaction