The college football world has lost a legend. Mississippi State head coach Mike Leach died Monday night from complications due to a heart condition, the school announced earlier today. He was 61.

Leach’s family said in a statement released Tuesday by the school that Leach participated in organ donation at University of Mississippi Medical Center as “a final act of charity.”

He suffered what the university initially described in a news release as a “personal health issue” at his home in Starkville on Sunday, which required him to be airlifted to UMMC in Jackson, Mississippi, about 125 miles from the Mississippi State campus.

Leach, in his third season as Mississippi State’s coach, brought to light that he struggled with pneumonia during the season, but said that he was feeling better during a press release after the regular season concluded.

The veteran coach was at practice Saturday before suffering his health issue on Sunday.

He was in his third head-coaching stint, with a 19-17 record for the Bulldogs, 8-4 this season. He was at Texas Tech from 2000 to 2009, and Washington State from 2012 to 2019. He was the AFCA National Coach of the Year in 2018 at Washington State.

“The Pirate,” as Leach was affectionately known, was synonymous for his “Air-Raid” offensive scheme, which prioritized heavy passing attacks and large chunk plays. Leach was known also as a quarterback mastermind; most recently with MSU’s Will Rogers during the past three seasons.

“His creative impact on college football was tremendous,” said WNWS-FM 101.5 sports director Sea Bass. “Mike Leach was definitely one-of-a-kind.”

Mississippi State fans and alumni in West Tennessee are grieving the loss of Leach.

“Coach Leach brought the program up to high standards,” said MSU fan and Allegra Print & Imaging owner Mike Ashley. “I was really excited to see him at State. He implemented an exciting style of play. He was the ultimate players’ coach.”

Leach was 158-107 in his 21 seasons as a head coach.

His 158 career wins were ranked fifth among active FBS coaches this season.

Four of the nine highest single-season passing yardage totals in FBS history and seven of the top 26 came under quarterbacks coached by Leach.

The Bulldogs’ defensive coordinator Zach Arnett was placed in charge of the football program when Leach was hospitalized.

Mississippi State is set to face Illinois in the ReliaQuest Bowl in Tampa on Jan. 2.

SEC and college football fans in general will forever be grateful for the impact “The Pirate” left on the game.