Countdown to Kickoff: 43 Days
PREVIOUS COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF ENTRIES: 50 | 49 | 48 | 47 | 46 | 45 | 44
Texas Tech's 2016 football season will begin in exactly 43 days with a Sept. 3 kickoff against Stephen F. Austin.
Today, we continue our Countdown to Kickoff series with a notable way the number 43 relates to Red Raider football.
43: Mike Leach lost 43 games as Texas Tech's head coach.
Mike Leach, who served as Texas Tech's head football coach from 2000-09, lost 43 games during his tenure on the South Plains. He won far more than he lost, though, and his 84 wins make him the Red Raiders' all-time winningest head coach.
Beyond just wins and losses, Leach impacted the game of football, especially in this region, far more than anyone could have possibly expected when he was introduced as Texas Tech's 13th head coach in 1999. The Big 12 is now an uptempo, spread-offense league, and the spread dominates the Texas high school football landscape.
Leach's 66.1 winning percentage is second only to Pete W. Cawthon (69.3) in Red Raider history.
Tomorrow: 42 - We look back at Texas Tech's last win over the Baylor Bears.
