Chip Kelly is preparing his UCLA program to face Washington State for the first time since 2019. That meeting is notable as it came against Mike Leach and resulted in a wild 67-63 win for the Bruins.

Leach would eventually leave the Cougars at the end of the 2019 season to head to Mississippi State. He coached the Bulldogs from 2020-22 before his unfortunate passing prior to MSU’s bowl game last season.

Asked about Leach during his Wednesday press conference, Kelly noted Leach’s amazing impact on football and ability to impact those around him. Kelly particularly pointed to the late coach’s ability to make you think or see things from a different perspective during conversations.

“He had an unbelievable impact on this game both on and off the field. He was just such a special person. He definitely marched to a different beat than most people and truly entertaining but really intelligent. Really smart,” said Kelly. “Always kind of made you think any time you had a conversation with him… He had a great perspective on things. He enjoyed life, he was a special guy and the impact he had on that program… and then anybody who worked for him would tell you. They can all wax eloquently about Mike Leach stories. I was fortunate I got to know him a little bit through the league.”

As for Leach’s legacy, Kelly pointed to the way the coach pushed the passing game through his Air Raid philosophy. Kelly also referenced Leach’s famous quote about balance within an offense.

“I think where he pushed the passing game. Mike’s famous for the line, his thought of being balanced isn’t run-pass, it’s about distributing the ball to 5 eligible players in a balanced fashion, and that’s what he strove to do,” Kelly explained. “I think people kind of look at the game a bit differently, and then you look at his coaching tree… He had a huge impact on this game and I think people will recognize that for a long time.”

While Leach had been out of the Pac-12 since 2019, his passing still leaves a giant hole in the fabric of college football. As the football calendar flips into October, it’s hard not to miss Leach’s passionate opinions when it comes to Halloween candy and any other topic under the sun.