Leach Earns Hall of Fame Ballot Spot After Winning-Percentage Threshold Drops

Leach Earns Hall of Fame Ballot Spot After Winning-Percentage Threshold Drops

Mike Leach, who died in December 2022 after his final season as head coach at Mississippi State, has been placed on the National Football Foundation’s ballot for the 2027 College Football Hall of Fame class. His inclusion follows a rule change that lowered the minimum career winning percentage required for coaches from .600 to .595, effective with the 2027 class. Leach finished his career with a .596 winning percentage and a 158-107 record across head coaching stints at Texas Tech, Washington State, and Mississippi State.

Under the previous threshold, Leach did not meet the eligibility criteria. The NFF announced the revised standard last year, allowing his candidacy to advance for the first time. Leach is widely credited with helping popularize the Air Raid offense, a pass-heavy spread system that influenced play-calling at multiple levels of the game. During his career, his teams recorded 18 wins over Top 25 opponents while unranked.

The 2027 ballot, released by the NFF with the class set to be formally announced in January, includes 80 FBS players and nine FBS coaches, alongside a larger pool from lower divisions. Other FBS coaches on the ballot include Larry Coker, Dennis Franchione, Ralph Friedgen, Darryl Rogers, Jackie Sherrill, and Tommy Tuberville. Heisman Trophy winners Cam Newton and Robert Griffin III are among the FBS players listed, with first-time nominees including Tavon Austin, Melvin Gordon, A.J. Hawk, and Barrett Jones.

The Hall of Fame class will be officially unveiled in January, after which the NFF’s selection process will determine which nominees advance to enshrinement.