WSU football Head Coach Mike Leach endorsed presumptive republican candidate and decade-long friend Donald Trump during a rally at the Spokane Convention Center Saturday, prompting WSU to issue a statement insulating the university from its employees’ views.

Leach, delivering remarks to approximately 3,500 attendees, said his primary reasons for supporting Trump are his authenticity and effectiveness in bringing about developments.

“The biggest thing is I want to see change,” Leach said. “I want to see people, you know, smart people that are good at solving problems; that if they go to a meeting they speak what’s in their mind and their heart and have a proven history of results and solving problems.”

He told the story of his personal relationship with Trump, beginning with his decision to contact him during a visit to New York.

After reading Trump’s book on the flight, Leach called Trump’s secretary and left a message. A few months later Trump returned the call, and the two have maintained a friendship ever since.

He praised Trump’s intense curiosity and his talent for accomplishing anything he sets out to do, particularly in real estate.

“It’s hard to think of anything he’s never been a big success in,” Leach said.

Without naming Leach, the university news release stated that WSU supports the free speech rights of all faculty and staff to express their opinions in a personal capacity.

“Free speech is a form of diversity – diversity of opinion,” the release stated, “and diversity is a core value of WSU.”

Both the release and Leach clarified that his personal views do not reflect those of WSU and Leach said students should vote for who they want.

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Following Leach’s speech, Trump discussed the media, saying they don’t report the good things he has done, and instead focus on the protests and people causing disturbances.

He turned his attention to democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, saying she can’t be trusted because of her past, including the fact that she overslept in the middle of the Benghazi crisis.

He reiterated his plans to build a wall between the U.S. and Mexico and “make America great again.” One way he plans to accomplish this, he said, is to make sure military actions are not announced to the public. He said he would not allow generals to speak to the press in order to keep the enemy in the dark regarding military operations.

Trump threw out several people who were “not with him” or an “enemy,” as he said. As host of a private event, he has the ability to decide who is allowed at the rally.

After the rally ended a small protest took place outside the building. Trump supporters stood on one side of police and opponents stood on the other. There was yelling on both ends, but the demonstration remained peaceful.