AP source: Leach will be new WSU football coach

In spending an unprecedented $2.25 million to hire Mike Leach, Washington State is sending a message to its Pac-12 rivals: You won't have the Cougars to kick around much longer.

Washington State is using money to be generated by the league's new television package to hire the big-name coach, improve its stadium and try to shed nearly a decade of football irrelevance. Each Pac-12 member will eventually be receiving nearly $20 million per year because of the TV deal.

Washington State is in the smallest market in the league. It has the smallest football stadium, the lowest average attendance, smallest athletic budget, and hasn't had a winning football record since 2003.

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