Mike Leach’s system may be relatively elementary but history shows it works extremely well when put to the test.

A big part of Leach’s Air Raid offense comes down to the trust the coach has in his quarterbacks to read a defense pre-snap and make adjustments and audibles at the line of scrimmage. That’s something that Leach doesn’t just give to his quarterbacks, it has to be earned, according to Gardner Minshew.

Be that as it may, Minshew wasn’t in Washington State a full calendar year yet Leach allowed him to make those adjustments on the field for the Cougars during their one season together.

Whatever they did clearly worked as Minshew went from completing just over 57 percent of his passes to completing over 70 percent of his passes for 4,779 yards and 38 touchdowns during his senior season as he led Washington State to an 11-win season.

Now it’s up to Leach to find a Hail State quarterback that he can trust as much as he did Minshew during their time together at Washington State. While there are a few candidates in Starkville that could fit that bill, Leach is currently pursuing Stanford graduate transfer signal-caller K.J. Costello to join his Mississippi State program.

Minshew outlined the freedom Leach gives his quarterbacks during a recent appearance on The Dan Patrick Show: