Mike Leach was Correct about the SEC

Leave it to Mike Leach, head football coach of the Washington State Cougars, to wrinkle some feathers in another conference. Coach Leach is never afraid to speak his mind on different topics in college football. This time he had the Southeastern Conference in his crosshairs.

Let’s be honest about things. The SEC have had many football national championships in the recent past. Most of those titles coming from Alabama. Most fans look at the SEC with a deference that crowns the SEC as the best conference in college football. The SEC is a good conference, but are they any more special than any other conference?

Not to Mike Leach. I agree with Coach Leach.

When Mike Leach was asked about Phil Longo joining the University of Mississippi as the offensive coordinator and if Longo’s high flying offensive scheme would be able to work in the SEC he didn’t hold anything back.

“I’ve got bad news for all these levels people. Your level isn’t special, your conference isn’t special. All this different level this, different level that. That’s crazy.” Coach Leach said.

“How is better? Somebody coaches better athletes, somehow they morph into something smarter, that’s crazy. I mean, you still have problems, you still have 11 parts you can wiggle around to counter the other 11 parts.”

Phil Longo had a visit with Mike Leach many years ago that helped Longo develop his high octane offense. This offensive scheme that Longo runs has produced video game type of numbers at many different smaller schools. Coach Longo is coming from Sam Houston State to Ole Miss and will be installing this offense.

This offense will work in the SEC. This type of offense has been used in every other Power 5 conference, but it won’t work in the SEC? Relax SEC fanboy, it’s going to work. If Nick Saban, the Godfather of the SEC, realized that he needed to evolve his offense by getting Lane Kiffin, then a spread offense will work just fine at Ole Miss.

Coach Leach is a smart coach and a coach that certainly knows offense. Why would SEC people question his opinion on whether Phil Longo can succeed in the SEC? That’s a pretty easy answer.

The SEC fans have an overinflated view of how football should be played. The fanboys will say that the SEC does football the right way. Coach Leach put that thought on blast and it was refreshing to hear Mike Leach say that.

“First, it becomes it won’t work,” Coach Leach mentioned. “Secondly, they basically say oh it’s a system, suggesting that people who don’t do it that way, who just run it up the middle, stick all your asses together so one hand grenade can kill everybody, that’s the right way to do it. Since they do it the right way, they’re OK with the fact they lost.”

When people get stuck in any line of thinking because of the success those people have had thinking a certain way, those people don’t evolve. When you don’t evolve your thinking you get left behind in society and football is no different.

Ohio State football has evolved under Urban Meyer, Nick Saban has a more open offense with Lane Kiffin and Steve Sarkisian calling the plays, and Auburn has shown that the spread can work in the SEC.

Mike Leach was correct with his comments about the SEC. There isn’t just one way of playing football and being successful, so just r-e-l-a-x SEC football fan. Maybe by finishing in second place this year and having a very average bowl record as a conference will make you reconsider how football can be played.

Good for Mike Leach for speaking on a subject that many fans outside the SEC have been probably thinking for a long time. Just one more thing SEC fanboy, Clemson just scored again.