Emotions were understandably high on Monday as the Mississippi State Bulldogs prepared to take on Illinois in their ReliaQuest Bowl matchup. The Bulldogs lost their head coach Mike Leach to a heart attack last month. He was 61 years old.
Mississippi State’s bowl game against Illinois occurred at Tampa Bay’s Raymond James Stadium, home of the Buccaneers. An entirely appropriate setting for the team coached by a man nicknamed “The Pirate” to play. Leach’s charges even set up a memorial by one of the pirate ships permanently stationed over one of the end zones.
But perhaps the best tribute Leach received came on Sunday when the school released a stirring video paying tribute to their late coach.
“Time is precious. Never has that been as clear as it is now,” Mississippi State QB Will Rogers says in the video. “For three years, we sailed with our pirate. Oh, the lessons we learned from him. A new journey was his destiny. But now, we have a chance to show the world how he’ll remain a part of us forever. How do we do that? Just like he taught us – we’ll be the most excited to play.”
The Bulldogs also wore flags with skulls and crossbones on the side of their helmet.
The Bulldogs took a 13-10 lead with mere seconds left. Mississippi State then extended the lead to 19-10 after intercepting a lateral pass and returning it for a touchdown on an improbable play. A fitting end for a team coached by a man known for pulling off the unexpected.