Mike Leach co-teaching class on counterinsurgency & football

I bet he asks Urban Meyer to teach it with him.

I know a couple coaches I'd like to enroll

Someone get these classes up on YouTube immediately!

Will this be offered online?

If the course teaches application of conspiracy theories in counter intelligence, he’s already demonstrated successful applications of it. Dude, for all the humor he provides, is a douche. 

Leach and Gundy could have a stand up routine....  "The Mikes"

After reading over the syllabus this appears to be more a case of somebody's inflated ego trying to conflate two drastically different concepts. I'll start with the area(s) of possible similarity, to be kind. 

Given the extreme power difference between the established group/ Counterinsurgency vs Guerilla warfare/Insurgency, Guerilla Warfare or Insurgency relies on 1) staying hidden, 2) hiding movements and actions, a related 3) unpredictability, 4) targeting key supplies/systems to disrupt, 5) winning hearts and minds of the local populace/psychological warfare,  6) resupply, and 7) knowing your opponent/strategic planing of all of this. I'm sure that's not the official list but off the top of my head that's its core. 

Targeting key systems could be finding weaknesses in your opponent and exploiting them. Sure.

Unpredictability. Sure, to a point.

Hiding your actions. Sure, good luck.

Psychological warfare? Possibly- if you hire Chase Winnovich. Hearts and minds? Not so much unless they talk about off field behavior.

Ressupply- Air drops/long bomb passes? I guess. But I can't see how teaching any of these 5 concepts would take more than 5 minutes each. 

All that said, Looking at the syllabus they have no idea that there is a difference between Counterinsurgency and Insurgency. You also wouldn't simply teach counterinsurgency as an insurgency related topic. Insurgency is more focused on targeting the established system, and simply keeping to the rules of insurgency to avoid counterinsurgency. Really the only related counterinsurgency topic I can think of would be trying to determine what action your opponent is going to take/target next. I guess this Michael Baumgartner guy is a state senator, but I assume he sat behind a desk somewhere in the embassy. Insurgency is much more disjointed and by design small groups do not know who or what is doing other actions. If you wanted your football players to "do their own thing" and all try to "get some" or "trust nobody" or "get theirs", you'd teach insurgency. For that reason alone, I'd stay away from that comparison Mr. Leach.

What's hilarious to me is that there's actually a much stronger comparison and possibility for players to learn from the comparisons between football and close quarters combat (CQC/CQB). It still relies heavily on unpredictability, targeting weakness, cover of darkness movement, psyops, and coordination with air strikes, but communication is even more key, planning is paramount, and coordinated actions of players covering for each other is the defining trait, I'e practice. Blocking, covering sectors, coordinated movements, disrupting enemy incursions, and understanding your units plan for each possible enemy action. Developing your body physically to support the team needs is also important. Teaching that in a coordinated group like this, giving up or half hearted movement is not an option- as your actions impact the entire team. Teaching that your actions can serve a greater purpose for the team even if you are not spearheading something, I.e. running your route even though you know the ball is not coming. Finally, when things fall apart, CQB relies on key leaders to formulate a new plan reacting to enemy decisions, and disseminate it for immediate action. Hell, Michigan could benefit from something like that.

Leach is a despicable human being. I know he likes to be a “character,” but he’s morally bankrupt. 

I wish WSU would put this online.  I'd take this class in a second!

I think it's pretty cool for Leach to engage with the academy and students. That is a throwback (Woody Hayes taught classes in the off-season). I am pretty sure I would disagree with Leach's opinions on anything outside of football, but that is part of what makes this a good idea.