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Mississippi State football honoring Mike Leach with pirate helmet at ReliaQuest Bowl

stefan krajisnik, mississippi clarion ledger
·2 min read
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TAMPA, Fla. — There's a pirate on deck his ship at the ReliaQuest Bowl.

A portrait of former Mississippi State football coach Mike Leach sits atop a pirate ship overlooking the field at Raymond James Stadium − the home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers − on Monday. It's part of a plethora of tributes for Leach as MSU prepares to face Illinois in the program's first game since his death on Dec. 12.

The Bulldogs will wear maroon helmets with a pirate flag on one side. The flag features a pair of interlocking swords with Leach's initials underneath. It's a homage to his book Swing Your Sword and the nickname of The Pirate he earned from it. MSU also wore shirts with the phrase "Swing Your Sword" on them before the game.

Painted on one of the 25 yard lines is a custom logo reading "Mike" with a cowbell replacing the I. That logo is also featured as a sticker on Illinois' helmets. The outpouring of tributes is part of a trend across the nation during bowl season. SEC schools have featured the same sticker as Illinois on their respective helmets.

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Houston coach Dana Holgorsen, who's part of the Leach coaching tree, took it a step further by wearing a MSU sweater during the Independence Bowl. It featured the signature Leach look: A black sweater with "State" across the chest in white block letters. Those shirts and sweaters have been in high demand and were part of the wardrobe for MSU's spirit squad during the ReliaQuest Bowl's beach day on Friday.

Mississippi State quarterback Will Rogers, left, and linebacker Nathaniel Watson, right, give tribute to coach Mike Leach during a memorial service in Humphrey Coliseum at Mississippi State in Starkville, Miss., Tuesday, Dec. 20 2022.
Mississippi State quarterback Will Rogers, left, and linebacker Nathaniel Watson, right, give tribute to coach Mike Leach during a memorial service in Humphrey Coliseum at Mississippi State in Starkville, Miss., Tuesday, Dec. 20 2022.

MSU (8-4, 4-4 SEC) is looking to take down Illinois (8-4, 5-4 Big Ten) and win its first bowl game since the 2020 season. Zach Arnett, who served as Leach's defensive coordinator since 2020, is now the head coach. Outside receivers coach Steve Spurrier Jr. will call plays on offense.

Stefan Krajisnik is the Mississippi State beat writer for the Clarion Ledger. Contact him at skrajisnik@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter @skrajisnik3.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Mississippi State football wearing Mike Leach pirate helmet vs. Illinois