Leach gained a cult following for his pass-happy offense, his wide-ranging interests — he wrote a book about Native American leader Geronimo — and his off-the-cuff news conferences.
He led his teams to a 19-17 record during three seasons at Mississippi State and made bowl appearances in all three seasons. He was a pioneering coach who revolutionized the passing game with his Air Raid offense.
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Career
Janeen Leach Clark was born in 1985 and followed in her parents’ footsteps, attending Brigham Young University, as well as medical school at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and eventually becoming a Family Medicine Specialist. She lives in Lubbock, TX and Provo, UT.
She and Mike Leach have three children: Kim, Cody and Kiersten. They also have three grandchildren.
After graduating from Pepperdine, she worked as a legal secretary for the athletic director until 1996 when Mike took a job at Kentucky as offensive coordinator.
Leach began his coaching career at Iowa Wesleyan at the NAIA level under Hal Mumme and then went to Valdosta State where he and Mumme created what was known as the Air Raid offense.
He spent two seasons at Kentucky, where he helped break four NCAA and 42 SEC records as offensive
coordinator before joining Oklahoma’s Bob Stoops in 1999 as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
After a brief stint with Texas Tech in 2000, he joined the Mississippi State staff in 2020. During his time in Starkville, the Bulldogs won 19 straight games and made eight bowl appearances.
Personal
Janeen Leach Clark is a wife and mother. She is professionally affiliated with Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center and practices family medicine.
She grew up in Lubbock, Texas and attended Brigham Young University and Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. She and her husband Mike are the parents of three daughters: Kim, Cody and Kiersten.
The couple met while they were attending Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. They were friends for a while before they became romantically involved.
Leach gained a cult following for his pass-happy offense, wide-ranging interests — he wrote a book about Native American leader Geronimo, had a passion for pirates and taught a class on insurgent warfare — and rambling, off-the-cuff news conferences.
His first head coaching job with the Texas Tech Red Raiders was canceled in December 2009 after he was accused of mistreating a player, Adam James. But his love of the sport never died, and he went on to become the head coach at Mississippi State. This past season, he led the Bulldogs to an 8-4 record, including a 24-22 win Thanksgiving night over Mississippi in the intense rivalry known as the Egg Bowl.
Education
Janeen Leach Clark has an education that includes a medical degree from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at Lubbock, and a residency at Atlanta Medical Center. She is a family medicine specialist in Morrow, GA, and has been in practice for over 10 years.
She is affiliated with WellStar Cobb Hospital and Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola Hospital. She accepts multiple insurance plans including Humana and Medicare.
Her most popular procedures are preventive care and vaccines. She also treats a variety of chronic conditions, such as hypertension and diabetes.
In addition to her career in medicine, Janeen has a love for travel and food. She is a fan of adventure sports, like mountain biking and rock climbing.
She was married to Mike Clark in 2022 and has four children. She has lived in Lubbock and Provo, Utah. She has an older sister and two brothers. She is a proud member of the YWCA and the American Heart Association.
Media
Leach was a true believer in social media, and he pushed it to its limits. He was an avid Twitter user, and he frequently shared pictures of his daughters and his pets with the world.
He also had a passion for pirates, and he even wrote a book about Native American leader Geronimo.
As a coach, Leach was often the envy of his peers. His coaching tree stretches back to Iowa Wesleyan, where he was the architect of their air raid offense. He also had a storied career as an assistant at Valdosta State, Kentucky and Oklahoma.
It was a sad day for Mississippi State fans when news broke that he had passed away. He was a beloved and renowned figure in the state’s football community, and his impact will be felt for years to come. He is survived by his wife Sharon, daughters Kim, Kiersten and Janeen, son Cody and six grandchildren. The Leach family will miss him very much, and the entire college football world is missing a great coach.
