Mel Tucker new HC at MSU
BREAKING: #CU coach Mel Tucker has agreed in principle to become the new head coach at #MichiganState, per sources. After Tucker turned down initial interest, MSU power brokers came back repeatedly to Tucker’s reps w/ an offer that was impossible to ignore https://t.co/qjOH0qKirQ
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) February 12, 2020
February 12th, 2020 at 7:48 AM ^
He was just completing his circle.
February 12th, 2020 at 9:05 PM ^
There are 5 million reasons why he doesn’t care
February 12th, 2020 at 1:27 AM ^
I wonder what sacrifice MSU made to the sports gods bc they somehow managed to get an actual head coach after this debacle all while needing Ayo Dosunmo blowing his knee out on a potential game winning drive to the hoop at Illinois.
February 12th, 2020 at 1:29 AM ^
He's an Ohio guy
February 12th, 2020 at 1:33 AM ^
He's a former Saban MSU assistant-turned Tressel OSU assistant from Ohio. Where have we heard this before...
February 12th, 2020 at 9:40 AM ^
Obviously MSU doesn't care about image with this coaching tree. Karma still out there.
February 12th, 2020 at 1:29 AM ^
Honestly surprised they were able to make a hire this quick especially after that guy from the Staee BOT was shooting his mouth off on the radio this morning.
February 12th, 2020 at 7:57 AM ^
$5MM and change will get that for you. I can put aside a lot of personal integrity for that kind of money. In fact, if I got paid that much, I might just got out and buy it off the shelf.
February 12th, 2020 at 1:45 AM ^
Not surprised they didn’t stop at the initial no.
February 12th, 2020 at 3:19 AM ^
I believe no means yes in East Landfill
February 12th, 2020 at 9:04 AM ^
Jack drops the Hammer!!! Brutal!!
February 12th, 2020 at 9:42 AM ^
Cannot upvote this enough!
February 12th, 2020 at 1:03 PM ^
Goddamn Savage, Jack!
February 12th, 2020 at 2:00 AM ^
Well this is pretty much sure to fail. I wonder if someone on the board purposely sabotaged things with fickell In order to get Tucker ? They called him in for a fake interview last week, when they thought they had Fickell. Then they had to go back and say, JK we actually want you haha
February 12th, 2020 at 2:07 AM ^
I am not going to say he will fail for sure, but it is certainly a lot of money for a guy who has limited head coaching experience and went 5-7 in his first season at Colorado.
February 12th, 2020 at 2:15 AM ^
Does the money matter ? If they got him for 4 a year are MSU fans somehow more happy ? They have the money might as well spend it. It’s possible he succeeds, Dantonio did (for a while) with a weak HC resume. But for a top 25 job like MSU this isn’t exactly an inspiring hire.
February 12th, 2020 at 2:24 AM ^
Is MSU even a top 25 job anymore? I’d put them somewhere between 26 and 40.
February 12th, 2020 at 7:30 AM ^
39 is about right.
February 12th, 2020 at 10:10 AM ^
Tucker’s limited head coaching experience IS that 5-7 season at CU. He’s been Assistant HC as well, but so was Brady Hoke.
February 12th, 2020 at 2:20 AM ^
Even if he is successful, he'll bolt for the first SEC job that comes calling. He's not a lifer like Dantonio or Fickell I think would have been.
February 12th, 2020 at 2:28 AM ^
That’s true. But if he can manage to win 6-8 games every year he won’t be fired and won’t be able to move on. I think that’s what happens. Although total failure is a very realistic possibility. 2020 is going to be a big struggle for bowl eligibility. 5 or less wins will put some pressure on him as soon as year 2.
February 12th, 2020 at 2:36 AM ^
For sure, I think the 2010-15 run they had will never be matched. From here on out an extremely successful season for them will be like 2017 or the Saban era. 10 wins, beat Michigan, and hope something stupid happens vs OSU/weird tie in the standings sends you to Indy. One or two of those type seasons and he’s the next head coach at South Carolina, Miami etc.
February 12th, 2020 at 2:46 AM ^
I would be shocked to see one, let alone multiple seasons like that happen. Who knows. Time will tell. As far as Michigan’s perspective I think this is about as good of an outcome as we could have hoped for.
February 12th, 2020 at 11:41 AM ^
This is where his contract works against him.
6-8 wins a year might sound reasonable, but it won't be acceptable to many at MSU when he's getting that kind of money. The expectations are going to be low for 2020, but high in a couple of years. As usual it won't just be the win loss record, but how the team looks. True both for MSU and other prospective employers.
February 12th, 2020 at 5:42 AM ^
I'm thinking the NFL might be even more likely than the SEC.
February 12th, 2020 at 2:12 AM ^
I was sad when Mork “resigned” because I figured they would hire a better coach like Fickell. However, this hire is even worse than Keeping Mork from an MSU perspective.
February 12th, 2020 at 1:27 PM ^
Completely disagree. Keeping Dantonio would have been a catastrophe. He was so, so done.
At least Tucker has potential, and has significant enough ties elsewhere in legit circles of the football world that he might be able to break free from the MSU echo chamber.
It could very well fail in the end (he's hardly a sure thing), but if I woke up to this news as an MSU fan I think I'm pretty excited relative to the other reasonably likely outcomes post-Fickell. It is not irrational for them to have hope that Tucker is a strong hire.
I would also note that tempering that hope is that if he does turn out to be a strong hire, I don't think he's very likely to be a lifer at MSU. He's well thought of in Bama and UGa circles, generally speaking. The SEC will come calling if he does well at Moo U.
February 12th, 2020 at 2:35 AM ^
Poor bastard.
February 12th, 2020 at 2:39 AM ^
This is just about the most lateral move you can ever make and practically double your salary.
Colorado got boatraced by every good team they played last year. Oregon, WSU, Utah. A poor UCLA team also beat them by 17.
February 12th, 2020 at 2:45 AM ^
They had a decent recruiting class though and he was a lauded DC at Georgia. He's never been able to stick at a job for more than 3 years tho. Then again, that was the knock on Harbaugh too. All in all this is a home run hire compared to State's alternatives, but like you said, a B hire overall.
February 12th, 2020 at 2:47 AM ^
They beat Scott Frost though!! Wins over Nebraska don't come easy in East Lansing, y'know
February 12th, 2020 at 9:05 AM ^
They had one good win, beating Arizona State in Tempe.
February 12th, 2020 at 10:13 AM ^
MSU can't beat ASU at home even when they try to play with 12 guys.
February 12th, 2020 at 2:51 AM ^
It feels like we just watched a contestant get selected for the Hunger Games. Sure, there's a chance they become a legend and leave a legacy that'll last for generations. But there's a much larger chance they end up dying in a hole from with like a dozen arrows in them shot by Katniss--I mean, Pat Fitzgerald
February 12th, 2020 at 2:56 AM ^
Totally forgot Tucker was the DC for the Bears when Trestman was head coach. Those were some truly God awful defenses. I mean beyond terrible. I think I had totally blocked out those seasons and forget they ever happened.
February 12th, 2020 at 4:59 AM ^
Poor Mel
February 12th, 2020 at 5:17 AM ^
Seems like he’s more in the mold of John L and Bobby W. They may be stuck with him for a while with that salary.
February 12th, 2020 at 6:23 AM ^
Went 5-7 in year one. Finished 5th in PAC-12 south... they were picked 6th in the pre-season, so they outperformed the low expectations, barely.
If he goes 7-5 this year at MSU, I’d say that’s a big success for him. Easier said than done with that roster.
February 12th, 2020 at 6:36 AM ^
Umm, okay... A limited experienced HC, with no ties to midwest recruiting, and a $5M salary. Even if he recruits like gangbusters, it'll take him 4 years to rebuild that roster. EL is a dumpster right now, and not just the Ath Dept - the entire campus and school reputation is in tatters. If he doesn't win in 3 years, he'll be out. Maybe give him 4, if they are realistic with expectations. The salary number will haunt them in the next search, because that's a top coach number and they aren't going to attract top coaches. But it might not be so large a number in a few years, so they have that going for them...
February 12th, 2020 at 7:04 AM ^
I'm hearing he DOES have midwest recruiting ties, including a couple Michigan kids on his first Colorado roster. He's from Ohio, worked at MSU for Saban, worked at Miami Ohio, etc. But generally speaking yeah you're right, it's a tall order to have any kind of success his first few years...
February 12th, 2020 at 9:42 AM ^
Staee had to overpay. Who were they going to get at market rate to come there?
February 12th, 2020 at 6:38 AM ^
So much for hiring a guy that won’t bolt after 2 years. This reeks desperation
February 12th, 2020 at 7:09 AM ^
Don't worry. The Spartan media will spin it like they just hired Dabo Sweeny.
February 12th, 2020 at 6:47 AM ^
Mel Tucker: Career record 5-7 - with a four year starting quarterback in Steven Montez and a first round receiver in Laviska Shenault. Gets $5.2 million to coach the Spartans.
Dabo Swinney: Career record: 130-31 - 4 National Championship appearances in the past 5 seasons. Gets $6.2 million to coach Clemson.
Mork's spiteful anger and Sparty's desperation at work....
February 12th, 2020 at 6:57 AM ^
Christ, what did they offer Fickle? lol
5 mil to coach football at MSU. Losing to CMU is gonna really sting this time.
#waffllingflake
February 12th, 2020 at 7:05 AM ^
PS his wiki page is already updated with him as MSU head coach -- that was quick (!)
February 12th, 2020 at 7:05 AM ^
PS his wiki page is already updated with him as MSU head coach -- that was quick (!)
February 12th, 2020 at 7:11 AM ^
Pete Thamel a short time ago (referenced in an earlier post):
There are really two options left for Michigan State. The first is backing up a Brinks truck to a candidate that it’s already courted. Fickell definitively isn’t coming – and that was the case before the public insults. That would make Tucker, the only other head coach known to sit down with MSU, the most viable and susceptible to an offer.
February 12th, 2020 at 7:14 AM ^
Never heard of him.