New MSU head coach found!?

[mmp121]

https://247sports.com/college/michi...football-hires-Mel-Tucker-Colorado-143700255/

Michigan State to hire Colorado head coach Mel Tucker
by Stephen Brooks
46 minutes ago

Michigan State is set to hire Colorado's Mel Tucker as its next head coach, 247Sports confirmed. The Athletic's Bruce Feldman first reported MSU had agreed to terms with the coach.

Tucker, 48, will replace Mark Dantonio, who retired last Tuesday after 13 seasons in East Lansing. Tucker's Buffaloes went 5-7 overall and 3-6 in the Pac-12 last year, his first season as a head coach.

Tucker's hire must be approved by the MSU Board of Trustees, which has a pre-scheduled meeting set for Friday.


Saturday afternoon, Tucker publicly rejected interest from MSU on his personal Twitter account, saying: “While I am flattered to be considered for the HC job @MSU_football, I am committed to @CUBuffsFootball for #TheBuild of our program,” Tucker tweeted. “its great athletes, coaches & supporters. #UnfinishedBusiness #GoBuffs

"We are #Relentless #Culture #TheBuild"

Tucker was hired at Colorado after two years as Georgia's defensive coordinator and secondary coach. Prior to that, he worked under Nick Saban at Alabama as assistant head coach and defensive backs coach during the 2015 season.


A Cleveland native and 1995 Wisconsin graduate, Tucker's coaching career began in East Lansing, where he served as a graduate assistant under Saban from 1997-98. He moved on and coached DBs at Miami (Ohio) and Louisiana State for one year apiece before taking the same position at Ohio State from 2001-04, adding the co-defensive coordinator title in his last season with the Buckeyes.

From there, Tucker started a nine-year NFL coaching run with the Cleveland Browns in 2005, becoming the team's defensive coordinator in 2008. He then became DC of the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2009-11 and served as the franchise's interim head coach for its final five games. Tucker stayed on as DC for one more year before being hired as the Chicago Bears' defensive coordinator, where he spent the 2013 and 2014 seasons.

Tucker's Buffaloes won games against Colorado State, Nebraska, Arizona State, Stanford and Washington in his only season in Boulder, Colorado. Their losses came against Air Force, Arizona, Oregon, Washington State, USC, UCLA and Utah. His 2020 recruiting class at Colorado is No. 35 nationally and No. 7 among Pac-12 teams on the 247Sports Composite programs.


Tucker comes back to East Lansing to replace Dantonio, who abruptly retired last week at age 63. Dantonio leaves as the program's all-time wins leader and will remain employed by the university in a to-be-determined role within the athletic department. MSU first targeted Cincinnati head coach Luke Fickell to be Dantonio's successor, interviewing him in Cincinnati on Sunday. Monday morning, Fickell withdrew himself from consideration for the job.

After Tucker turned down initial overtures from MSU, school officials reapproached him after Fickell pulled out, per The Athletic's report.

Tucker is set to become MSU's 25th head football coach and the second African-American to hold the position.


247Sports' Allen Trieu contributed to this report.

 

[Nittany Security]

Well someone had to take the job.

 

[PSUALREADYKNOW]

I live in Denver and you know what is already hitting the fan and its just about 1AM....the local fan base is livid. They obviously feel betrayed.

 

[RTLH]

I live in Denver and you know what is already hitting the fan and its just about 1AM....the local fan base is livid. They obviously feel betrayed.

I don't know alot about him.
Know your program struggled a bit last year in his only year. Regime changed can take a year or so for a coach to put his stamp on a program.
But for the life of me why would he want to go to that dumpster fire of a program?

While the Buffalo struggled this past year its not like he went to a better situation.

 

[BobPSU92]

I wonder how much more money msu threw at Tucker since he publicly rejected them on Saturday.

 

[psuro]

In a related story:

Fickel to Colorado.

 

[jim cummings]

I wonder how much more money msu threw at Tucker since he publicly rejected them on Saturday.

However much it was was apparently enough.

 

[anon_is9z1n0h3zblb]

I wonder how much more money msu threw at Tucker since he publicly rejected them on Saturday.

From link sounds it's what Fickell was offered

https://www.mlive.com/sports/2020/0...set-to-become-michigan-states-next-coach.html

Feldman reported Tucker would more than double his current salary of about $2.7 million, nearly double Colorado’s coaching salary pool, which was $3.15 million in 2019, and includes an increase in the strength and conditioning staff budget and resources. According to the Denver Post, the buyout on his five-year contract at this time is $3 million.

 

[heckmans]

In a related story:

Fickel to Colorado.

I heard both Fickel and Franklin were on the Way too Early Buffalo candidate list

 

[sluggo72]

Colorado will now be scrambling to find a new head coach extremely late in the hiring cycle. With Bieniemy’s connections to the school, he seems certain to be considered for the job coming off a Super Bowl victory earlier this month.

Bieniemy is Colorado’s all-time leading rusher. He rushed for 3,940 yards with 4,351 all-purpose yards and 42 total touchdowns during his time in Boulder. He was a consensus All-American in 1990 as Colorado was named the national champion. Bieniemy would become a second-round pick of the San Diego Chargers in 1991.

Bieniemy spent two seasons as offensive coordinator at Colorado under head coach Jon Embree in 2011 and 2012. Bieniemy would join the Chiefs as a running backs coach in 2013 after Embree’s staff was dismissed after the 2012

 

[NittPicker]

Crazy money for a guy with a skinny head coaching resume. Good for him on his payday though. MSU had to pony up to make it worthwhile for anyone to step into that job. I'd guess Tucker never would have been interested if it wasn't for his Big Ten roots.

 

[pandaczar12]

Crazy money for a guy with a skinny head coaching resume. Good for him on his payday though. MSU had to pony up to make it worthwhile for anyone to step into that job. I'd guess Tucker never would have been interested if it wasn't for his Big Ten roots.

They could have gotten Narduzzi for half the salary, and didn't even attempt to. That says a lot.

 

[BobPSU92]

From link sounds it's what Fickell was offered

https://www.mlive.com/sports/2020/0...set-to-become-michigan-states-next-coach.html

Feldman reported Tucker would more than double his current salary of about $2.7 million, nearly double Colorado’s coaching salary pool, which was $3.15 million in 2019, and includes an increase in the strength and conditioning staff budget and resources. According to the Denver Post, the buyout on his five-year contract at this time is $3 million.

That's a lot of money for a school that may not even be around by the time the season starts.

 

[BobPSU92]

In a related story:

Fickel to Colorado.

Fickell to Colorado
Franklin to Cincinnati
nardoozie to Penn State
Golden to pitt

 

[ClarkstonMark]

They could have gotten Narduzzi for half the salary, and didn't even attempt to. That says a lot.

I am pretty certain Dantonio told Narduzzi he doesn't wan't to deal with MSU's F'd up AD and BOT

 

[ram2020]

Is Mel Tucker even good? What has he done with Colorado in the weak Pac 12?

 

[PSU Mike]

With all that the money flowing into the Colorado market I can’t believe the Buffs can’t regain their 90’s magic.

 

[Secret Asian Man]

On a side note, great to see another minority hire for a head coach in the Big Ten and NCAA Power Five.

 

[pandaczar12]

I am pretty certain Dantonio told Narduzzi he doesn't wan't to deal with MSU's F'd up AD and BOT

Like that is any worse than being stuck at Pitt. MSU is definitely a prestige upgrade with a much higher ceiling, likely a salary upgrade, and MSU would likely put up with his antics for longer than Pitt, because he'd need time to put his system of mediocrity in place at MSU.

 

[ClarkstonMark]

Like that is any worse than being stuck at Pitt. MSU is definitely a prestige upgrade with a much higher ceiling, likely a salary upgrade, and MSU would likely put up with his antics for longer than Pitt, because he'd need time to put his system of mediocrity in place at MSU.

on the other hand, Pitt's path to NY6 bowl is much easier than MSU.
But all I am saying is the MSU AD/BOT is a mess (worse than PSU), and Dantonio left with a bad taste in his mouth. Would not surprise me if he said same thing to Fickel as Nard.

 

[anon_1eeb2b426hv3y]

Well someone had to take the job.

Someone from Tennessee’s Lane Kiffin School of Workplace Tenure Management. It's a specialized institution for the ambitious and wanderlusty.

 

[interrobang]

On a side note, great to see another minority hire for a head coach in the Big Ten and NCAA Power Five.

Well Tucker already coached a P5 school.

Actually what's good to see is a qualified coach moving back to his home area to coach instead of some busted retread like MSU nearly had to opt for. You (society) want equality? Stop highlighting people's differences every time something beyond the normal happens.

 

[CoastGuard2018]

Is Mel Tucker even good? What has he done with Colorado in the weak Pac 12?

Had success as an assistant at tOSU and Georgia but far from a home run hire based on his limited body of work as a HC. Having said that he has a lot of NFL experience and is a Ohio native and should have strong recruiting ties to that state. Well respected and probably a better recruiter than Dantonio.

 

[Secret Asian Man]

Well Tucker already coached a P5 school.

Actually what's good to see is a qualified coach moving back to his home area to coach instead of some busted retread like MSU nearly had to opt for. You (society) want equality? Stop highlighting people's differences every time something beyond the normal happens.

Agreed...but it is clearly a move up and there are very few minority coaches in the real high-level programs.

 

[pandaczar12]

on the other hand, Pitt's path to NY6 bowl is much easier than MSU.
But all I am saying is the MSU AD/BOT is a mess (worse than PSU), and Dantonio left with a bad taste in his mouth. Would not surprise me if he said same thing to Fickel as Nard.

MSU has been to the CFB playoff recently, when was the last time Pitt made a NY6 bowl?

 

[CvilleLion]

Three million a year in Boulder or six million a year to move to East Lansing. Sounds about right.

 

[ClarkstonMark]

MSU has been to the CFB playoff recently, when was the last time Pitt made a NY6 bowl?

keep living in the past when PSU was sanctioned and UM had RichRod/Hoke if you want.
Pitt's path to NY6 is easier than MSU's (as long as Clemson gets a bye to the CFP).

 

[Secret Asian Man]

Had success as an assistant at tOSU and Georgia but far from a home run hire based on his limited body of work as a HC. Having said that he has a lot of NFL experience and is a Ohio native and should have strong recruiting ties to that state. Well respected and probably a better recruiter than Dantonio.

he coached under Tressel at Ohio State for four years and was given the state of Ohio. that is when Ohio State locked up recruiting in Ohio; they almost never lost a kid that they wanted. That has continued through this day. One of the reasons why he was hired is that many of the good plays michigan state has have come from Ohio.

 

[anon_is9z1n0h3zblb]

I am pretty certain Dantonio told Narduzzi he doesn't wan't to deal with MSU's F'd up AD and BOT

Maybe Tucker called them up and screamed "I CHANGED MY MIND" while Narduzzi was still wiping the boogers out of his eyes.

 

[pandaczar12]

keep living in the past when PSU was sanctioned and UM had RichRod/Hoke if you want.
Pitt's path to NY6 is easier than MSU's (as long as Clemson gets a bye to the CFP).

Spoken like a Pitt fan... let's ignore recent data and dream about a future that will never come. Of course you don't want to discuss recent history, because it destroys your argument. MSU has made two NY6 bowls, including a berth in the CFP. Pitt has made zero, and is 41-36 in the NY6 era... that's barely over 0.500.

Convenient you didn't mention that 12-1 Urban Meyer coached 2015 OSU team, the greatest barrier to MSU making the CFB playoff, that MSU beat in Columbus. Or that a Jim Harbaugh coached UM was ranked #12 when they played MSU, and finished the season ranked #11 with a 10-3 record, including a bowl win over an SEC opponent. MSU got PSU in East Lansing in 2015, so it's pretty much moot that PSU was sanctioned (and RichRod/Hoke were gone) ,when they were good enough to beat OSU and UM that year.

 

[fairfaxlion2]

That guy made a dumb move. CU will make a huge upgrade off of this one

 

[sluggo72]

That guy made a dumb move. CU will make a huge upgrade off of this one

did he? going from $2.5 mil to $5 mil seems like a good move to me.

 

[Mufasa94]

Spoken like a Pitt fan... let's ignore recent data and dream about a future that will never come. Of course you don't want to discuss recent history, because it destroys your argument. MSU has made two NY6 bowls, including a berth in the CFP. Pitt has made zero, and is 41-36 in the NY6 era... that's barely over 0.500.

Convenient you didn't mention that 12-1 Urban Meyer coached 2015 OSU team, the greatest barrier to MSU making the CFB playoff, that MSU beat in Columbus. Or that a Jim Harbaugh coached UM was ranked #12 when they played MSU, and finished the season ranked #11 with a 10-3 record, including a bowl win over an SEC opponent. MSU got PSU in East Lansing in 2015, so it's pretty much moot that PSU was sanctioned (and RichRod/Hoke were gone) ,when they were good enough to beat OSU and UM that year.

Not to downplay MSU's accomplishments, but UM did not have their punter prepared for worst case scenarios in their game with MSU. The Spartans took advantage, but they should have never had the opportunity.

Kind of funny though that while I'm sure tOSU fans were yukking it up after that game, that game ended up likely keeping the Buckeyes out of the playoff.

 

[ClarkstonMark]

Spoken like a Pitt fan... let's ignore recent data and dream about a future that will never come. Of course you don't want to discuss recent history, because it destroys your argument. MSU has made two NY6 bowls, including a berth in the CFP. Pitt has made zero, and is 41-36 in the NY6 era... that's barely over 0.500.

Convenient you didn't mention that 12-1 Urban Meyer coached 2015 OSU team, the greatest barrier to MSU making the CFB playoff, that MSU beat in Columbus. Or that a Jim Harbaugh coached UM was ranked #12 when they played MSU, and finished the season ranked #11 with a 10-3 record, including a bowl win over an SEC opponent. MSU got PSU in East Lansing in 2015, so it's pretty much moot that PSU was sanctioned (and RichRod/Hoke were gone) ,when they were good enough to beat OSU and UM that year.

So you think winning the B10 East is easier than winning the ACC Coastal. OK you go with that.

 

[Dunkindonuts]

Bottom Line is this is not their #1 guy. Probably 3 or 4.

 

[BobPSU92]

Not to downplay MSU's accomplishments, but UM did not have their punter prepared for worst case scenarios in their game with MSU. The Spartans took advantage, but they should have never had the opportunity.

"There's no reason to have a michiganesque punt fiasco..."

 

[psu_1294]

Fickell to Colorado
Franklin to Cincinnati
nardoozie to Penn State
Golden to pitt

Ya Know, Bob, that sounds pretty good. I think they should just rotate those four guys through those four schools, like every year or two. Let's see, when do we get Golden? I can't wait.

 

[SpartanJD]

I don't know alot about him.
Know your program struggled a bit last year in his only year. Regime changed can take a year or so for a coach to put his stamp on a program.
But for the life of me why would he want to go to that dumpster fire of a program?

While the Buffalo struggled this past year its not like he went to a better situation.

Last 3 seasons MSU went 7-6, 7-6, and 10-3.

Top 20 in attendance and top 15 in revenue.

That's not a 'dumpster' fire.

The whole Blackwell saga is much ado about nothing. Just a guy who tried to cover up sexual assault suing his former employer for money because he cant get a job.

 

[SpartanJD]

Is Mel Tucker even good? What has he done with Colorado in the weak Pac 12?

I mean...nothing. He was there for one year. CU was a total rebuild job. Picked to finish dead last in the Pac12 south. Ended up finishing second to last in the south. Big early ooc win over NU and beat ASU on the road. Had a ton of injuries this year to his team as well.

However, he is a great hire for MSU because of his Midwest roots and connections, especially in Ohio, a state any MSU coach must recruit well to have success.

Also, this:

''Mel Tucker finished as a Top-20 recruiter for three-straight years as Georgia's defensive coordinator ('16, '17, '18), per 247's Recruiter Rankings.

He also put together the 35th ranked recruiting class in Year 1 at Colorado, a program that has stunk recently"

 

[SpartanJD]

he coached under Tressel at Ohio State for four years and was given the state of Ohio. that is when Ohio State locked up recruiting in Ohio; they almost never lost a kid that they wanted. That has continued through this day. One of the reasons why he was hired is that many of the good plays michigan state has have come from Ohio.

Yup. Having strong recruiting in Ohio, which Tucker will have, is a must for any good MSU coach. Outside of UM/OSU/PSU, really no other B1G program goes nationally and pulls recruits from the South or West with other big time offers.