Former Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell likely has a number of entertaining stories about Mike Leach from the four seasons he played under the fiery head coach. During a recent interview with RedRaiderSports.com’s Aaron Dickens, Harrell shared what has to be one of the best.
Harrell claims Leach was once so furious about the officiating during a game that he took a moment from coaching and called the conference commissioner on his personal cell phone.
“My junior we went down to Texas and played really well and lost in a shootout,” Harrell recalled. “I can remember in the third quarter — he always talked to me between series — he pulled his cell phone out and called the Big 12 commissioner. In the third quarter he’s cussing out the Big 12 Commissioner telling him, ‘These refs are screwing us, you better watch my postgame press conference because I’ve got some stuff to say.'”
As Football Scoop reminded us, Texas Tech ended up losing that game 59-43. The Red Raiders had a touchdown called back because of a holding penalty and another score overturned because of an official replay. After the game, Leach called the officiating “a complete travesty” and was later fined $10,000 by the conference. It was the largest fine ever levied against a coach in the Big 12 Conference at the time.
Surprised? You shouldn’t be. After all, we’re talking about the same guy who told an opposing coach “f— you” during a postgame handshake. Leach has always been a character. I’m sure he’s done much worse stuff that Harrell wouldn’t dare mention.
H/T The Big Lead
