In anticipation of Auburn hosting Mississippi State in an upcoming Saturday afternoon match, Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze was queried about his personal "Mike Leach story." This inquiry comes as no surprise since Mike Leach, the former coach of Mississippi State, left an indelible mark on the college football world before his unexpected passing on December 12, 2022, at the age of 61 due to complications from a heart condition. During the interview on Thursday night, Freeze disclosed that he and Leach weren't particularly close, and they had limited interaction. He mentioned, "Coach Leach and I, we weren't real close. I didn't get to know him. But I think everybody that was in college football had a Leach story." Freeze, who coached at Liberty while Leach was at Mississippi State, and Leach's tenure at Washington State while Freeze was at Ole Miss, seldom crossed paths. Nevertheless, Freeze did have one memorable interaction with Leach, which he recounted during Auburn's Tiger Talk radio show.