Coaches always prefer their own players just as AD's always want hire their own coaches.

Being his first year, I think Leach waited to see how the year would progress. Once it started to sink heavily, he decided it was easier to set fire to it to see how many would jump ship.

He'll have a lot of scholarships available to give to "his guys".

As FF2 said, there are players coaches and hard ass coach. Leach has chosen to be the later. It will be interesting to see how all this plays out.