Whenever people talk about former coaching legend — and former Valdosta State assistant — Mike Leach, they may soon have to say Hall of Fame coach Mike Leach.

Last week, the National Football Foundation made a slight change to a rule, but a big one for some of its most recognizable names.

Before this year, to be eligible for the College Football Hall of Fame, coaches had to win 60% of their games. The new rule changes that percentage to 59.5.

Leach’s career winning percent is in that window, at 59.8% as his career head coaching record is 158-106. His Division I head coaching days were at Texas Tech, Washington State and Mississippi State, programs he made better, but none of which competed for national championships.

In 21 seasons at those three schools, Leach topped ten wins twice: a pair of 11-2 campaigns. One was at Texas Tech, the other at Washington State. In both years, he made the conference finals. His teams qualified for 19 bowl games.

Leach was better known as an innovator in Air Raid passing offenses, first with Hal Mumme as an assistant at Iowa Wesleyan, VSU and Kentucky. He did the same at Oklahoma before getting the chance to lead on his own.

Mumme advocated Leach’s case to ESPN. In its article about the percentage change, Mumme said he wondered why the committee decided on 60%.

“I mean, not everybody gets to coach at Notre Dame or Texas or something,” Mumme said to ESPN. “Throw the rule out and vote people in on merit.”

Leach would be eligible for consideration next year. A coach must be three years past retirement, according to the rules. Leach was an active coach when he died in December 2022.