Then his Pirate Ship has probably set sail for good.
The number of coaching vacancies continues to multiply faster that Aggie complaints about the officiating in last Thursday's game.
There are the usual suspects like Akron, Memphis, Tulane and Idaho, but the number of openings or potential opening in BCS conferences is startling in its number before we even get to the bowl season.
Leach has been out of coaching since he was canned by Texas Tech after the 2009 season. His name has been tossed around for various openings since then, but nothing took. It could be that the rumor that he is the worst interview in the history of hiring is true, or it could be that programs are nervous about hiring someone who is currently suing his former employer.
Current Job Openings -- Big 10
Ohio State -- I suppose this is still officially "open" until the Urban Meyer Coronation, supposedly Tuesday.
Penn State -- This has the look of fool's gold, Big 10 program, nationally recognized, but the Sandusky Scandal and the subsequent firing of JoPa will no doubt scare off several potential candidates.
Illinois – The Zooker is out after going 34-50.
The Pac 12
Washington State – This is a yawning black hole of despair in the Pac-12. Just the place for the Pirate!
Arizona State – Dennis Erickson is supposedly on the way out.
UCLA – Rick Neuheisel's Bruins lost to USC 50-0 and as punishment will have to play at Oregon in the Pac-12 Championship game. Slick Rick needs to win to keep his job.
Mike Leach has always been in demand by the press. Athletic Directors? Not so much.
Other Coaching Vacancies
Kansas – Fired Turner Gill after two years and a 5-19 record. Will cut him a check for $6 million within 90 days.
Mississippi – Houston Nutt is out, Larry Fedora of Southern Miss wants the job.
North Carolina – After Butch Davis was canned Everett Withers was named interim coach for this season.
Florida Atlantic – The Owls won for the first time this season last Saturday, 38-35 over UAB.
We're gonna miss Schnelly on the sidelines with his pipe and clip on suspenders.
Other Jobs That May Soon Be Open
Tennessee – The Vols lost to arch-rival Kentucky Saturday– for the first time in 26 years. Derek Dooley finished 5-7 and could be gone.
Oregon State – Mike Riley's Beavers went 3-9 this season, but he has a winning record at OSU (72-63) has taken them to 6 bowls in 9 years (and has a 5-1 record). Some folks want his out, and then again some folks at UCLA would love to hire him for the Bruins (he was USC's offensive coordinator from 1993-95.)
Colorado State – Rams went 3-9 and Steve Fairchild is expected to get the boot.
Texas A&M – Mike Sherman has a 25-25 overall record, the Aggies are moving into the snakepit AKA as the SEC, and oh yes, they lost a fairly important football game last Thursday. Will they buy him out?
As far as the Leach Sweepstakes is concerned, my money is on Washington State. They have nothing to lose and Pullman, Washington is even more isolated than Lubbock, so Leach could be as outrageous as he wanted and it would hardly register on the media meter.