By TOMMY REZAC
St. Joseph Post
Missouri Western women's basketball coach Candi Whitaker finished her playing career at the same place where Mike Leach began his head coaching journey - Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas.
Leach, who died on December 12 at the age of 61 due to heart complications, was the head coach of the Red Raiders from 2000-2009, and became the winningest head coach in that program's history, compiling 84 wins and winning five bowl games.
His 2008 team won 11 games, and Leach was named Big 12 and National Coach of the Year that year.
Whitaker, then Candi White, played at Texas Tech from 2000-2002 after transferring in from Seward County Community College. Her two seasons as a player in Lubbock coincided with Leach's first two years there as the head football coach.
Whitaker, who went on to coach Texas Tech from 2013-2018, says Leach was often a spectator at Lady Raider practices when she was still a player.
"He would come over and talk to us," Whitaker said of Leach. "He was very approachable and very likable. My coach, Marsha Sharp, and he were very, very close. Very good friends throughout his tenure at Tech."
Leach was fired from Texas Tech under controversial circumstances in late December 2009 after accusations of alleged player abuse from Adam James - son of football legend and then ESPN analyst Craig James.
After Adam James had suffered a concussion, Leach reportedly ordered his staff to take James "out of the light," and Leach's attorney said James was treated reasonably in light of his condition.
The James family claimed James was taken to a dark equipment room near the Raiders' practice facility. School officials at the time said they gave Leach an ultimatum to apologize to James in writing, or be suspended.
On December 30, Tech fired Leach, calling his refusal to apologize "a defiant act of insubordination."
Many speculate Leach's firing was more financially motivated. Leach was fired a day before he was reportedly owed an $800,000 tenure bonus and more than $1,700,000 for contractual guaranteed income for the 2009 season.
Whitaker says many Red Raider fans and alums, and even many who are not affiliated with the school, believe Texas Tech did not treat Leach fairly in the end.
"I think everyone loved him," Whitaker said of Leach, "and hated to see how things ended at Tech. I think there's a lot of people upset about how Tech handled things. Mike put them on the map. Before Mike, their football team was okay and good, but Mike took it to another level."
Leach would go on to have success as Washington State's head coach from 2012-2019 and then at Mississippi State from 2020 up until his death in 2o22.
Leach compiled 158 career wins, was a three-time conference coach of the year and two-time national coach of the year. He's considered by many to be the godfather of the high powered, potent "air raid offense."
He'll perhaps be equally as remembered for all of his press conference quotes and answers in interviews, topics ranging from Halloween candy, marriage advice, pirates, Bigfoot and many more.
Whitaker says that's how he always was - even when the cameras weren't rolling.
"So many of the rumors, like he did bring in a pirate at Tech to talk to his team," she said. "He is who he is. That community (in Lubbock) loved him and he loved them."
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