STARKVILLE, Miss. — Mississippi State coach Mike Leach was taken to a hospital Sunday after what the university called “a personal health issue” that happened at his home in Starkville.
Leach, 61, was taken by ambulance to the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, which is about 125 miles (200 kilometers) away from Mississippi State, the university said in a statement.
The school said it would have no further comment on Leach’s condition, adding “that the thoughts and prayers of the university are with Mike and (wife) Sharon and their family.”
However, reactions from fellow coaches and others on social media give the indication that Leach’s condition is serious.
“Prayers for my good friend Mike Leach,” USC coach Lincoln Riley tweeted Sunday night.
“My thoughts are with my mentor, my colleague and, more importantly, my friend, Mike Leach,” University of Houston coach Dana Holgorsen tweeted. “While I am devastatd by today’s news, I know Mike is a fighter with an incredible spirit, and I know he will continue to battle.”
“Mike Leach needs a miracle, folks. Continue to pray,” tweeted Robbie Faulk, who covers Mississippi State for the Starkville Daily News.
Defensive coordinator Zach Arnett has been placed in charge of the football team by Mississippi State President Mark Keenum and interim athletic director Bracky Brett as it prepares for an appearance in the ReliaQuest Bowl against Illinois on Jan. 1 in Tampa, Florida.
Leach is in his third season at Mississippi State, with a 19-17 record. Late in the season, he acknowledged dealing with some unspecified health issues that were causing a persistent cough.
Leach, known for his prolific Air Raid offenses, is 158-107 in 21 seasons as a head coach at Texas Tech, Washington State and Mississippi State.
