Mike Leach: Why Maryland Football Is the Best He Can Do

Mike Leach, if and when he's announced as the new head coach at the University of Maryland, can thank his lucky stars.

Mike Leach would be a fortunate son to step into the job with the Terrapins.

Fear the turtle? Mike Leach had a strong fear he'd get passed over everywhere.

The University of Miami had no interest whatsoever in letting him replace Randy Shannon. Mike Leach is radioactive after his dismissal from Texas Tech. Forget the fact that he was their best coach ever with an 84-43 record; he locked Craig James' kid in a shed, allegedly.

After he got the boot at Texas Tech, the Mad Pirate sued just about everyone with a bank account, and that's not what a perspective employer wants to see. Donna Shalala wanted nothing to do with him at Miami even if The Donald was putting his stamp of approval on Leach.

The way things were looking for Leach, he might have ended up on Trump's show, The Apprentice, because things were looking grim for the offensive genius.

Yes, controversy is not what you want on that college job resume. Former University of South Florida head coach Jim Leavitt is still out of work and his name hasn't even come up in defensive coordinator discussions.

It's the radioactivity. But in Leach's case, he may have been de-contaminated by Under Armour founder Kevin Plank, a HUGE Maryland booster who made the Terps the first Under Armour school. Leach has ties to Plank, who may have opened the Terrapin shell.

If Maryland athletic director Kevin Anderson does what everyone suspects, Leach will be announced as the successor to Ralph Friedgen, who was shown the door after the Terps coach-in-waiting, James Franklin, took the Vandy job.

Some will point to sagging attendance as the reason Friedgen was bought out of his contract this week.

Whatever the reason, if Maryland wants attention, Leach will garner some, although he's not media-friendly when it comes to his players. Leach was accessible at Texas Tech, his players were not. If he were to set up shop in the D.C. market, that would have to change.

If Leach is lucky enough to be on the Maryland sideline next year, he can thank his lucky stars.

Good school, great area, BCS conference, no overly dominant teams, good recruiting arena.

Yes, Maryland would put Mike Leach back in business.

"Let the buyer beware" caveat is something the folks at Maryland need to keep written down in a drawer somewhere in the athletic department.