SouthernWorldwide.com – Mike Leach, the influential coach celebrated for popularizing the Air Raid offense and significantly shaping modern college football, has been nominated for the 2027 College Football Hall of Fame class. This nomination comes less than four years after his passing.
Leach’s final coaching position was at Mississippi State, where he coached until his death in December 2022.
The National Football Foundation has revealed the candidates for next year’s Hall of Fame induction. The official class is scheduled to be announced in January. The ballot includes 80 players and nine coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision, alongside 99 players and 39 coaches from lower collegiate football divisions.
Under the previous eligibility rules, Leach did not meet the required criteria. However, the recent revision of these criteria now makes him eligible for consideration. The NFF announced last year that the minimum career winning percentage for coaching nominees would be lowered from .600 to .595, effective for the 2027 class.
Leach achieved a career winning percentage of .596 during his head coaching tenures at Texas Tech, Washington State, and Mississippi State. He concluded his coaching career with a record of 158 wins and 107 losses.
During his career, Leach guided his teams to victories in 18 games against opponents ranked in the Top 25, even when his own team was unranked.
Player eligibility requires a minimum of 10 full seasons since their last college year and a selection to a major All-America team. While a nominee’s college football achievements are a primary factor, their conduct as a citizen after their playing career also plays a role in the evaluation process.
Among the other distinguished FBS coaches on the ballot are Larry Coker, whose Miami team secured the 2001 national championship; Dennis Franchione, who had coaching stints at TCU, Alabama, and Texas A&M; Ralph Friedgen, who led Maryland to bowl games in seven out of his ten seasons; Darryl Rogers, recognized as the 1977 Big Ten Coach of the Year at Michigan State; Jackie Sherrill, the all-time wins leader at Mississippi State; and Tommy Tuberville, known for coaching successful Auburn teams in the 2000s.
Heisman Trophy winners Cam Newton of Auburn (2010) and Robert Griffin III of Baylor (2011) are also featured on the ballot. First-time nominees include Tavon Austin from West Virginia, Melvin Gordon of Wisconsin, A.J. Hawk from Ohio State, and Barrett Jones of Alabama.
