Swing Your Sword - by Mike Leach (Paperback)

About the Book

Leach talks about his unorthodox approach to coaching football. He took TexasTech to numerous bowl games and was voted 2008 Coach of the Year before beingfired at the end of the 2009 season. His dismissal created a media frenzy anda battle that still remains unresolved.

Book Synopsis

Legendary head coach Mike Leach tells his captivating story--from rural Wyoming to law school to the upper echelons of the SEC.

SWING YOUR SWORD is the first ever book by one of the most fascinating and successful coaches in sports today. A maverick who took an unlikely path to coaching through law school, Mike Leach talks about his unorthodox approach to coaching and the choices that have brought him success throughout his career. A lover of the game who started creating formations and drawing his own plays as a kid, Leach took his Texas Tech Red Raiders to numerous bowl games, achieving the #2 slot in national rankings and being voted 2008 Coach of the Year before being unceremoniously fired at the end of the 2009 season. The scandalous nature of his dismissal created a media frenzy and began a personal battle between Leach and his accusers that remains unresolved.

Review Quotes

I could tell that our players liked him right away. What really struck me was how sure of himself of what he wanted to do. He had such conviction and confidence in his way of doing it and there wasn't any second guessing it: "This is what we're going to do. It is going to work. It has worked everywhere we've been." I remember feeling great. This is exactly what we needed to do.

About the Author

Mike Leach (1961-2022) was a groundbreaking and innovative football coach known for his revolutionary "Air Raid" offense, which redefined college football strategy. Over his 21-year head coaching career at Texas Tech, Washington State, and Mississippi State, Leach became one of the most respected and colorful personalities in sports, earning numerous Coach of the Year awards and leaving a lasting legacy on the game.
Beyond football, Leach was a polymath with a law degree from Pepperdine University, an interest in history, and an affinity for pirates, which inspired much of his unique leadership philosophy. In Swing Your Sword, he offers an unfiltered look at his unconventional journey, from coaching obscurity to becoming one of the most innovative minds in football. The book is as insightful, entertaining, and bold as the man himself.