It took a lot to get Mike Leach to leave Washington State but the Bulldogs understand the investment it takes to win football games in the Southeastern Conference.

After paying Joe Moorhead an average annual salary of less than $3 million during his two years in Starkville, Mississippi State is stepping up to the plate and paying Leach $5 million annually for four seasons. Mississippi State likely would commit more years to Leach if possible but state law only allows contracts to be a maximum of four years.

According to Adam Rittenberg of ESPN, Mississippi State has also agreed to a “substantial commitment to the salary pool” for Leach’s assistants and support staff in Starkville.

This is big news for the Bulldogs who appear to have taken a completely different approach to building the program following the end of the Moorhead era.

Leach is set to be officially introduced in Starkville at Noon CT with a press conference that will air on the SEC Network. During that time, specifics of Leach’s contract and the assistant salary pool will undoubtedly come up.