MEL TUCKER HIRED AT MSU – MSU MAKES GREAT HIRE IN EX-BROWNS ASSISTANT MEL TUCKER

By STEVE KING

I was thrilled when Mel Tucker got the head coaching job at the University of Colorado in December 2018.

I was thrilled even more when he was interviewed – the first time – for the head coaching opening at Michigan State last week, even though he initially told the school he wasn’t interested.

And I was thrilled to the hilt when, after MSU circled back and talked to him again and offered him the position along with a huge boost in salary, he took it. He was formally introduced on Wednesday.

It is an outstanding opportunity for Tucker, and in turn, the Spartans are getting an outstanding head coach, someone who, though he has been a head coach for just one season, finishing 5-7 in 2019 at Colorado, a program that has struggled for some time, will prove his abilities at MSU. I really, truly believe that. I believe that wholeheartedly, without any shadow of a doubt.

MSU first offered the job to University of Cincinnati head coach and former Ohio State player and coach Luke Fickell, who would have been a great hire, too, but declined the opportunity. As such, Tucker is being looked upon by some if not many as a plan B choice, and that’s understandable. But the Spartans, and their fans, will discover that, in the long run, Tucker will turn out to be the best choice.

Tucker, who turned 48 a month and a half ago (gee, it’s hard to believe he’s that old), has strong Cleveland, Browns and Ohio ties.

He is a product of Cleveland Heights High School and grew up a big Browns fan. He tells the story of his father, also a huge Browns fan, taking him to his first Browns game at Cleveland Stadium in 1977 and hoisting him onto his shoulders so he could see the action.

Tucker spent four years (2001-04) as an assistant under Berea native Jim Tressel at Ohio State, including being on the 2002 national championship team and serving as co-defensive coordinator in 2004. It was during that time that he worked as an assistant with both Fickell and his predecessor at MSU, Mark Dantonio.

Tucker came to the Browns in 2005 and worked as an assistant on Romeo Crennel’s staff for four years (2005-08), serving as the defensive backs coach for the first three seasons and then as defensive coordinator in 2008.

Mel Tucker hired at MSU to be continued…