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It was a dark and stormy night. Itwas 1 a.m. Mike Leach (JD ’86), headcoach of the Texas Tech football team, wasa half-mile out from his house in Lubbock,Texas. He was walking his dog around agolf course, surrounded by lightning, andon the phone with me.These were the circumstances of our interview,but the scenario seemed appropriate. The nineyearhead coach follows the beat of his own drum and isaffectionately known as the “Mad Scientist” by fans andthe media. The name comes from Leach’s innovativetechniques on the field, particularly in offensivestrategy, and also his fanatical lectures and stories oneverything from law to grizzly bears and pirates.During his tenure at Texas Tech, Leach has changed the face ofcollege football. He has led the Red Raiders to nine consecutivewinning seasons and made them a perennial contender in the Big 12Conference. With 11 wins and a high national ranking, last seasonwas Tech’s best yet. Both their quarterback and wide receiver brokeNCAA all-time records and were candidates for the Heisman Trophy.At the end of the season, Tech shared the Big 12 South division titlewith powerhouses Oklahoma and Texas. On December 2, 2008,the Associated Press named Leach the Big 12 Coach of the Year.Coaching staffs from across the country have traveled toLubbock to get a glimpse of Leach’s offense—the most prolificpassing offense in the country—up close and in practice.Coaches, sportswriters, and fans have noted Leach's success,and this year he gained greater notoriety through in-depthprofiles on 60 Minutes, ESPN, and in The New York Times.The Mad Scientist is also known for having a nontraditionalbackground for a coach. He is one of only six NCAA Division Ihead football coaches who did not play football at the collegelevel. Leach spent his early 20s in an unlikely place: law school. 23L AW. P E P P E R D I N E . E D U