Mike Leach feels SEC hype overblown: 'Your conference isn't special'

Mike Leach doesn't fear the SEC.

The Washington State head coach was asked about new Ole Miss offensive coordinator Phil Longo, and whether his offense could succeed in the SEC coming from Sam Houston State of the FCS.

"I've got bad news for all these levels people," Leach told Antonio Morales of The Clarion-Ledger. "Your level isn't special, your conference isn't special. All this different level this, different level that. That's crazy."

Longo picked up his offense from Leach at a clinic in the 1990s and transformed it into one of the most prolific in the FCS. Sam Houston State ranked first in total offense in the past two seasons and was tops in scoring offense a year ago.

SEC defenses will be a different entity, though. Leach started out his career as Kentucky's offensive coordinator and he's heard all the criticism before.

"First, it becomes it won't work," Leach said. "Second, they basically say 'oh, it's a system,' suggesting that people who don't do it that way, who just run it up the middle, stick all your asses together so one hand grenade can kill everybody, that's the right way to do it. Since they do it the right way, they're OK with the fact they lost."

Leach also believes Longo's system can work in the SEC.

"This is a great time to be in the SEC, everybody's got the same offense: run right, run left, play action. And they tease themselves and say we threw it four more times a game this year than we did last year," he added.

Longo won't have to wait long to test it next season, as the Rebels open conference play with a trip to Alabama.