Mississippi college football fans aren’t accustomed to having a coach speak out on the political issues of the day.
But they have never had a coach quite like Mike Leach.
Mississippi State’s new Head Football Coach is known to be an outspoken, opinionated guy who doesn’t shy away from saying what’s on his mind… even at 3 a.m. on Twitter.
Leach is also a known friend of President Donald Trump, and they talk often, according to the coach’s comments over the years.
Just hours removed from National Signing Day and the acquittal of President Trump in the U.S. Senate, Coach Leach took issue with Utah U.S. Senator Mitt Romney in the wee hours of Thursday morning, initially tweeting, “As an a American, does ANYONE, REALLY want Mitt Romney on their side?!”
It drew over 6,000 likes.
As an a American, does ANYONE, REALLY want Mitt Romney on their side?!
— Mike Leach (@Coach_Leach) February 6, 2020
Coach Leach has ties to Utah, having attended Brigham Young University in the 1980s.
But the Head Bulldog didn’t stop with that one tweet.
Coach Leach followed it up asking, “Those that believe in the competence of Mitt Romney, what do you trust him to do?”
Following some replies to his tweets, Leach then tweeted, “The people that have called me names,really haven’t suggested what their approach or position is.I am curious what others suggest? We can call names all night, but a clear thought out I idea would be more productive.If you’re a Romney fan,say so and why? Don’t hide behind names.”
Those that believe in the competence of Mitt Romney, what do you trust him to do?
— Mike Leach (@Coach_Leach) February 6, 2020
The people that have called me names,really haven’t suggested what their approach or position is.I am curious what others suggest? We can call names all night, but a clear thought out I idea would be more productive.If you’re a Romney fan,say so and why? Don’t hide behind names
— Mike Leach (@Coach_Leach) February 6, 2020
Coach Leach and President Trump have a long friendship, with Leach endorsing then candidate Trump and introducing him at a rally in Washington back in 2016.
Leach talked about how his relationship with Trump began as he introduced the candidate in Spokane, saying he read a book written by Trump while flying to New York and it peaked his interest enough to call him. That call and a returned call from Trump sparked a friendship that has now lasted over 15 years.
Coach Leach commented on the pending impeachment of President Trump in December 2019. According to The Spokesman-Review, Leach said, “I haven’t followed it too closely, but it’s clearly political. That doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that out.”
He went on to say, “And I’m yet to hear what he did wrong. So, you’ve got to have a crime, I would think.”
Coach Leach’s political views and friendship with President Trump may well be more at home here in Mississippi where Trump won with over 57% of the vote in 2016 compared to Washington, the state Leach recently left, that went for Hillary Clinton with over 54%.
Frank Corder
