Mel Tucker officially fired. Anyone to look at who could possibly jump in the portal?
As of about 60 seconds ago, Mel Tucker was officially canned.
With four games gone in the season, players on that team that want to keep this year's eligibility would have to enter the portal SOON. I'd suspect several will.
That said, is there anybody on that squad you'd want the staff to pursue?
September 27th, 2023 at 12:39 PM ^
September 27th, 2023 at 12:46 PM ^
Rumor is doing a lot of work there.
September 27th, 2023 at 12:51 PM ^
I mean, Freeman just did a spot-on “Sparty NOOOOOO” vs Ohio State by putting 10 men on the field for the two most important defensive snaps in the game. He’d fit right in.
MSU is realistically looking at either 1) a disgraced/washed up coach who still has the barest bit of name recognition, or 2) an up-and-comer* who they accept will just be a short term rental
* pun intended. The most intended pun ever
September 27th, 2023 at 12:42 PM ^
Wow. One month ago today, the biggest issue facing Mel Tucker was picking his starting QB. My how the mighty have fallen.
That said, I don't know if I'd want anyone from that squad. If any player with a Michigan offer chose Staee, despite the tunnel incident, Devin Bush and the pregame march, etc., that shows a potential character issues. I think Coach Harbaugh wants players who make high character decisions.
If there's anyone else on the roster that Michigan didn't offer, why would they want them now?
September 27th, 2023 at 12:48 PM ^
Tuck comin'
Tuck came
Tuck goin'
a short but eventful tenure....
September 27th, 2023 at 2:01 PM ^
There's an haiku somewhere in there.
September 27th, 2023 at 2:18 PM ^
They said "Tuck Comin'"
What they meant was "Tuck Cummin"
95 Million
September 28th, 2023 at 10:12 AM ^
thank you, sir!
September 27th, 2023 at 12:49 PM ^
My concern is that they now go get a competent coach. I was hoping Mel would be there for 10 years.
I can hear MSU fans now "he might jerk off on the phone but he has a winning record against Harbaugh so he's a great coach"
September 27th, 2023 at 12:54 PM ^
Most competent coaches have far better options than MSU.
September 27th, 2023 at 1:16 PM ^
I think people forget the last coaching search. They were turned down by several of their top choices and were getting alot of bad press as a result. That lead to an enticing deal to Tucker who had a much shorter contract as a wait and see. Obviously we know the rest the undeserved contract extension and all the scandals. I’d predict those state fans are instore for more of the same. Inflated opinion they have if their program.
September 27th, 2023 at 1:37 PM ^
The only positive thing about this search is - they have plenty of time, and - I believe - are the first P5 team to separate with their coach this season. Their last search was conducted after the season concluded - and, coaching changes had been made. So, the potential list of coaches that were entertaining a change - had made one.
There are certain things that Dantonio and the recent history of the program seem to define as a characteristic of their approach - and, that's "hitting" - on the field - in the tunnel - it doesn't matter where.
When evaluating coaches who possess a similar "hitting" philosophy - many roads lead to Scott Frost. Wouldn't it be fantastic if Scott Frost (and his mom) wound up in East Lansing?
And, no one has discussed what the final record for the Spartans could be this season. The final record has the potential to be even worse than last year's 5-7.
September 27th, 2023 at 1:42 PM ^
Yeah I seee them at 4-8, Scott Frost would be epic, that dude needs to get sober though.
September 27th, 2023 at 1:55 PM ^
Mork will take over for a year, they hire Jim Leonhard DC and HC in waiting.
September 27th, 2023 at 2:27 PM ^
Mork is done. He is legitimately burned out ala Lloyd at the end of his time.
September 27th, 2023 at 4:05 PM ^
I wouldn't worry too much. There's not much upward mobility after coaching MSU. Their most successful coach was never desired anywhere else.
Saban is the only successful one to move on and that was a million years ago.
September 27th, 2023 at 12:50 PM ^
Tug comin'
September 27th, 2023 at 12:56 PM ^
This seems like an institution that has actually learned from its horrifyingly bad previous ethical and legal lapses.
September 27th, 2023 at 2:30 PM ^
I think they learned from 95,000,000 unrelated lapses
September 27th, 2023 at 6:11 PM ^
That depends on if they pay him millions to now go away.
September 27th, 2023 at 12:58 PM ^
Only interested in a cheeseburger from that team.
September 27th, 2023 at 12:59 PM ^
First he Cum'ith, then he Go'ith.
September 27th, 2023 at 1:02 PM ^
"It's official - Mel has been evicted. He will be asked to gather his belongings and leave the Little Brother house immediately."
September 27th, 2023 at 1:09 PM ^
Do they have to hit the portal now? Or could they just "opt out" of the rest of the season (i.e. not play in any more games), keep going to class, and then hit the portal in the winter?
September 27th, 2023 at 1:32 PM ^
I believe they have 30 days from the firing to jump ship.
September 27th, 2023 at 1:37 PM ^
Even if they don't play the rest of the season? I would think in that case the redshirt is still preserved and they'd be immediately eligible elsewhere next fall?
September 27th, 2023 at 1:39 PM ^
I don't recall reading any clause like what you described. It wouldn't surprise me if that were allowed because finishing the semester is important for STUDENT athletes, but this is the NCAA, and logic rarely drives their policies.
MSU has only played four games. All the redshirts are preserved for this year if they sit out. If a player hasn't transferred before, they still get their one-time free transfer.
September 27th, 2023 at 3:12 PM ^
Finishing the semester was what I was thinking about. If you hit the portal now, does the school have to honor the scholarship for the rest of the year and let you continue with class at least?
If a players leaves now they're leaving those ~12 credits behind.
September 27th, 2023 at 1:29 PM ^
I hate to sound like an old man who has seen it all, but I think I have seen enough "program transitions" in college football to know that it often doesn't go smoothly and careers of promising athletes can be destroyed in the process by becoming stuck on a team with missing pieces and a scheme transition. If I was a parent of a player on that team, with hopes of being drafted someday (not just looking for playing time), I would not gamble on this working and I would absolutely encourage that player to enter the portal ASAP.
September 27th, 2023 at 1:31 PM ^
Don't worry, this time around very few promising athletes are impacted.
September 27th, 2023 at 2:03 PM ^
brutal. :-)
September 28th, 2023 at 5:00 AM ^
Whattya mean? There's Spanky Spunkmeier, Miles Beaterman, Slappy T. Bishop. A bunch of guys.
September 27th, 2023 at 1:30 PM ^
So Tug goin'?
September 27th, 2023 at 1:32 PM ^
Now he’ll have more time to play golf. I hear he has a good stroke.
September 27th, 2023 at 1:41 PM ^
What I find very funny is this quote from the school that brought and kept Larry Nassar around for so long.
In a statement, the university said it had terminated Tucker's contract "for his admitted and undisputed behaviors which have brought public disrespect, contempt and ridicule upon the university; and constitute a material breach of his agreement, and moral turpitude."
September 27th, 2023 at 1:55 PM ^
https://sports.yahoo.com/michigan-state-officially-fires-mel-tucker-for-cause-162951565.html
“The school cited the public disrespekt clause in its letter on Wednesday and said Tucker had brought disrepute to the school with his conduct on the phone with Tracy in April of 2022.”
Ok, that’s my typo…
September 27th, 2023 at 2:14 PM ^
L4MSU
September 27th, 2023 at 2:15 PM ^
Wasn't Alex VanSumeren a one-time UM commit? His big bro was on big bro UM and then left for Spartyland.
September 27th, 2023 at 2:42 PM ^
He and his looks like Tarzan plays like Jane big bro can kick rocks.
September 27th, 2023 at 2:43 PM ^
hard pass
September 27th, 2023 at 2:42 PM ^
There is a kid in their recruiting class named Dennis who is a lineman from Mt. Pleasant. I know his dad and have watched him play a couple of times. Beast/mauler. Penn State and others are allegedly circling, but would love to have a Mountain town boy in A2!
The Marsh kid is a good player too.
September 27th, 2023 at 2:54 PM ^
Tuck sure did come
September 27th, 2023 at 2:54 PM ^
On the bright side, paying 95mil for phone sex, if not a world record, has to be a personal best for Tuck.
September 27th, 2023 at 3:08 PM ^
Keon Coleman.
Wait...
September 27th, 2023 at 3:53 PM ^
Players aside, I can’t wait until they once again, overinflate their sense of self import and decide they need to make a “splash” hire to keep up with the Michigans, Ohio States, Alabamas and USCs, as if they are even remotely close to any of those.
September 27th, 2023 at 7:08 PM ^
Nonzero chance they offer Deion the bag, as dumb a follow up to Mel as that'd be. And he'd have better offers anyways, like Central, or Rutgers.
September 27th, 2023 at 4:21 PM ^
Would it not be the most Sparty thing ever for them to attempt to hire Mike Hart??
I would love for them to attempt and him just chuckle like he did in that PC years ago
September 27th, 2023 at 5:03 PM ^
It would, but as Mork is involved with the team now, I would guess he’d be involved with the coaching search too, and I think he still holds a special kind of hatred for Hart.
September 27th, 2023 at 7:05 PM ^
I'm sure the staff would know better than I, but honestly even before all this shit I didn't see much I was interested in on that roster.
September 27th, 2023 at 7:33 PM ^
“It is decidedly unprofessional and unethical to flirt, make sexual comments, and masturbate..”
I’m puzzled by the “and” here. Is the policy that it is OK to do one or two of these things, as long as you don’t do all three? Did they Sparty No the termination letter?