From the mind of Mike Leach: Targeting rule, Geronimo

Published Jul. 26, 2013 9:39 a.m. ET

foxsports

CULVER CITY, Calif. -- Mike Leach knows how to make an opening statement.

Leach, the Washington State coach, was first up at the Pac-12 Media Day at Sony Studios and, when asked for some comments to start the Q&A session, Leach was short and sweet.

"Alright, any questions?" Leach asked.

Leach, in his second year as the Cougars head coach, quickly turned his attention to the new targeting rule for college football this season. Leach, whose biggest issue with the rule is how the refs will figure out which player lowered their head first, has been vocal in his dislike of the new standards.

"I'm not the only one against this rule, rules in order to be effective
have to be enforceable and you've got to be able to see it," Leach said. "If I get
these guys across the room and I have them run full speed at each other
and I ask you in a split second to tell me which one lowered their head
first, I betcha you can't do it.

"So I think that is a huge problem."

Leach brought up the now famous Jadeveon Clowney hit in January's Outback Bowl.

"That (hit) is why they have football and it's why football was invented and it's one of the greatest American games there is," Leach said.

Leach, known for his variety of unique interests outside of football, is currently writing a book on Geronimo with researcher Buddy Levy.

"Books are funny things. They're satisfying, ultimately; but then, you know, there is a point where it gets tedious and you get tired of the same stuff over and over," Leach said. "Books almost go a little beyond even the confines of, say, a marriage. You write a book, that's there forever. There is no divorcing a book, you know?

"The research is the most exciting part."

Leach and Washington State finished 3-9 in 2012.