Mike Leach Begins Assembling Washington State Crew, Pistols And Pirates First

Read More: Washington St. Cougars

New Washington St. Cougars skipper Mike Leach has plucked his first two hires: Jim Mastro, former Nevada Wolf Pack and UCLA Bruins assistant, and Clay McGuire, East Carolina Pirates (ARRRRR!) special teams coordinator and running backs coach.

@BFeldmanCBS Two Leach hires to WSU: Jim Mastro, the ex UCLA/Nevada asst & ECU's Clay McGuire, who he said was best recruiter he ever had at Tech.    

Mastro coached Nevada running backs for 11 years before joining UCLA's staff, where he helped implement some of Nevada's run-oriented Pistol schemes. Coupling the Air Raid with the Pistol, perhaps? Dare video gamers dream?

The primary critique of Leach's offense is that it's too pass-heavy. It traditionally operates from a shotgun set, while the Pistol game uses a modified shotgun that also allows for downhill runs. Something a little more like what Dana Holgorsen does with the West Virginia Mountaineers could emerge.

McGuire played and coached nine seasons with the Texas Tech Red Raiders before boarding ECU. 

For more on Leach and Wazzu, visit Washington State blog Coug Center and SB Nation Seattle.