Mel Tucker reportedly has been offered an extension
According to Rico Beard, and from all my searches only Rico Beard. It's a lot of money, if true.
November 13th, 2021 at 9:23 AM ^
If they want to remain relevant, it was the right thing to do. I want Mel to stay! I'd rather beat on a good Spartan team than a milksop one. I think it's good for the Big Ten, too.
November 13th, 2021 at 9:33 AM ^
You and I are on different wavelengths. I want our rivals to gravel in the muck.
November 13th, 2021 at 9:47 AM ^
It's also important that they try hard. (It would be no fun if they didn't care so much.)
November 13th, 2021 at 9:49 AM ^
For me, it's more than just a game. I'm not saying that because that's how I am, I'm saying that because 'the other side' is full of folks too, and it must suck to constantly be...losers. This way when our rivals are winning and they lose to us, they can look forward to next year. Versus becoming an alcoholic because your team always loses.
November 13th, 2021 at 1:59 PM ^
hudda wudda?
November 13th, 2021 at 10:13 AM ^
This. They must be humiliated.
November 13th, 2021 at 1:53 PM ^
I want them to muck in the gravel.
November 13th, 2021 at 9:50 AM ^
I want OSU and MSU to lose every game. Don't care what other teams do in B1G. I don't think B1G being relevant means much if we take care of business.
November 13th, 2021 at 4:05 PM ^
Who you got next week…?
OH (as I grab the porcelain)
November 13th, 2021 at 9:58 AM ^
I can't disagree more, lol -- it's as if they'd be happy we hired Juwan
November 13th, 2021 at 11:09 AM ^
This is the ultimate response. Nothing more need be said.
November 13th, 2021 at 4:11 PM ^
They laughed when we hired Juwan. Asshats.
November 13th, 2021 at 10:00 AM ^
Michigan doesn’t beat good MSU teams. Certainly Harbaugh doesn’t.
November 13th, 2021 at 10:04 AM ^
How about a one year extension so we can beat the crap out of him next year, then he leaves.
November 13th, 2021 at 1:26 PM ^
Every conference needs doormats -- records are zero-sum. Can't say I would mind if MSU returned to clownshow status
November 13th, 2021 at 3:23 PM ^
I want Ohio state and Michigan state to burn to the ground. Are you sure your a Michigan fan?
November 13th, 2021 at 9:24 AM ^
Fuck Rico, Fuck State. Mel Tucker is a block head
November 13th, 2021 at 9:25 AM ^
As always, if radio hosts are talking about it loudly its likely someone negotiating through the media and you should take it with a grain of salt.
I continue to believe that Tucker is riding an unsustainable wave of good luck (picking up the nation's leading rusher in the transfer portal, 3-0 in 1-score games despite being outgained, on average, by over 115 yards in those games) and he's likely to revert back to his steady state which is "okay". He'd be stupid not to jump now and turn a mediocre run at UC into an LSU job in 3 years.
November 13th, 2021 at 9:30 AM ^
Rewind to when Dantonio took over and we were saying similar things.
November 13th, 2021 at 9:49 AM ^
They're different animals until proven otherwise. Who knows? Tucker may outperform Dantonio, but I doubt it. Unless he has the three-star magic it's hard to imagine him even matching his predecessor.
November 13th, 2021 at 10:01 AM ^
People always bring up Dantonio and MSU's rise in a vacuum, as if UM and (to a lesser extent PSU) being down didn't have an impact on that. Like, check out PSU and UM between 2010 and 2015 and I count 1 10+ win season combined between those two clubs while MSU had 5. Outside of that time frame? MSU had 1 10-win season (that weird 2017 year where they went...5-1 in 1-score games) and UM and PSU picked up 6 10+ win seasons. It wasn't some shock MSU started trending down as those programs came back online, and while Tucker has earned his 2-0 record against UM it's by a combined 7 points and UM is still in a much better position than they were during Dantonio's rise.
Could Tucker turn out to be gold? Sure. But he's not the same coach as Dantonio in terms of innovation or pissing anger at Michigan, and even this year their pass defense has been awful and their offense outside of Walker is sub-average. Like, even those early Dantonio years had an identity and showed growth; I don't see any of that with Tucker thus far.
November 13th, 2021 at 11:35 AM ^
yep, no growth, just dug themselves out of a pit last year and are 2-0 against Michigan.
November 13th, 2021 at 4:00 PM ^
@mpbear
Dantonio was a proven commodity at that point.
Tucker not so much.
But continue your revisionist Sparty nut hugging, I won't stop you.
November 13th, 2021 at 9:36 AM ^
"CU," thanks. Also, fuck that guy for bailing on us for MSU. I hope his reps are leaking a price fbo LSU (or Southern Cal).
November 13th, 2021 at 9:38 AM ^
Agreed… how replicable is this year’s success? Riding a generational, one-and-done, transfer portal running back and a 120/120 pass defense doesn’t seem like a long term recipe for sustained excellence. Heck, the year isn’t even over yet. Who’s to say even this year will be a success by the time it’s all played out? Still, for any kind of Dantanio-esque run, Sparty is going to have to catch somebody on the way up and hope he sticks around. If they are happy with his recruiting chops, they may as well put their chips on Mel. His track record suggests the sticking around part may be a problem though.
November 13th, 2021 at 9:56 AM ^
I disagree, I think this portal thing is GREAT for those midrange teams like Michigan State. Every year a sudden infusion of talent to boost weaknesses. Solid guys that may not play for the top tier teams, but would be a welcome addition to the no so top tier teams. I think a Coach in a place like State could make a solid living in the Transfer Portal times.
November 13th, 2021 at 9:24 PM ^
I agree with this. Hell, Michigan could benefit greatly if not for the academic side of things. And to that effect, MSU is a perfect fit. The big bug with the schools in this state is the weather for a lot of kids. But I can see a place like MSU or Tennessee or others in similar standing in their conferences who just soak up the kids trying to find PT and utilize it to support their entire program.
November 13th, 2021 at 9:40 AM ^
He definitely wasn't good as DC for the Bears. As a Bears/UM fan, I laughed when MSU hired him. He was the worst defensive coach the Bears have had in my lifetime. Maybe college is a different beast, but he managed to turn one of the most dominant defenses (established over a decade+ by Lovie Smith) into a complete creampuff -- despite having Lance Briggs, Julius Peppers, Charles Tillman, and so on. His pass defenses looked pretty similar to MSU's current pass defense.
On the other hand, Lovie was a solid NFL coach and didn't exactly set the world on fire as a college coach.
November 13th, 2021 at 10:38 AM ^
Agree.
Plus this team is mainly comprised of one year rent-a-players. (Maybe 2 years in some cases).
The rest of the roster is garbage and he knows it - and his recruiting isn't so hot.
If he can get this much out of the portal every year - sure, he's a good coach.
But I agree he has lucked into a LOT - including the "luck" of shitty calls against opponents that helped them win tremendously.
November 13th, 2021 at 11:02 AM ^
Some guy at SI said LSU is not after Tucker, and never was. His history as a HC is not good enough. They want a sure thing.
I'm hoping for 2 more losses for State this year. Ending 9-3, with three dicey wins in that record, making them precariously close to 6-6 this season. That will put State in it appropriate place.
November 13th, 2021 at 11:15 AM ^
Of course they want a sure thing. The question is who they can actually get to sign a contract with them.
I am inclined to doubt it will be Tucker (although a man can dream, can't he?), but we'll see what kind of "sure thing" they end up hiring.
November 13th, 2021 at 2:31 PM ^
A sure thing? They can get Dan Mullen. He sure sucks.
November 13th, 2021 at 11:12 AM ^
The current transfer rules allowed this. Under the old rules, see what he did at Colorado.
November 15th, 2021 at 10:16 AM ^
Definitely agree.
He was mediocre at best, poor recruiting, all the reasons we sorta chuckled at not only the hire - but how much they paid him.
He hit the lotto this year with Walker.
November 13th, 2021 at 12:20 PM ^
After the M game I saw some stat - that being close with Mia and IU, and being down late to M and NEB - he had like 0.1% chance to win all four of those games. That + finding a heisman back in the transfer portal seem like unsustainable.
November 13th, 2021 at 2:24 PM ^
I think skepticism about Tucker's head coaching ability and probable long term success is definiely warranted, for many of the reasons given by bronxblue and also some of the replies to his comment.
On the other hand, I don't think it's a foregone conclusion that he doesn't pan out. It depends on how much and how quickly he learns and improves, and on the quality of assistant coaches he can attract. This year could turn out to be a lucky season that gets him a big contract that MSU winds up regretting for years to come. However, I don't think it would be a miracle if this season winds up being evidence of a new head coach maximizing his limited resources and putting his team in position to take advantage of some breaks, which he uses as a building block to build a better program.
Time will tell. If I was forced to bet, I'd bet he's fool's gold; but I wouldn't want to bet my life or a really large amount of money!
November 13th, 2021 at 9:26 AM ^
Just have to hope this his version of the Hoke poops gold season.
November 13th, 2021 at 9:53 AM ^
By several measures, it is. His pass defense is among the worst in all of CFB. He plucked a Heisman candidate out of the transfer portal, which will never happen again. Somebody else mentioned that he's 3-0 this season in 1 score games, being outgained by a lot.
He's a decent coach but I can easily see him crashing back down to a la James Franklin after his lucky B1G title season. I hope he stays so we can beat him back down into mediocrity.
November 13th, 2021 at 11:08 AM ^
State's pass defense IS the worst. It is in last by a good margin.
That is why it is possibly Maryland can pull of the upset. Tagovailoa is having a pretty good statistical year, EXCEPT, he just is too careless with the ball. Too many TOs. But if he has no TOs today, maybe Maryland could pull off the upset. But their awful defense probably won't stop Walker lll anyway. So, forget it.
November 13th, 2021 at 9:29 AM ^
Perfect timing for them to drop their last few games
November 13th, 2021 at 9:29 AM ^
It won't be enough.
November 13th, 2021 at 9:30 AM ^
The rumors are that he has basically already agreed to it. MSU has all the money they need to match any offer from LSU but LSU has the money they need to afford a buy out even on an extension signed 3 months ago. It makes it more likely he’d stay but also isn’t some guarantee.
Also tough to really care about this. If Michigan takes care of business who the msu coach is should be irrelevant.
November 13th, 2021 at 11:02 AM ^
Everything depends on the buyout amount right? Him being offered the LSU job is no guarantee, especially if they’re going to wait until January and/or chase other big fish like Riley first. With any luck, this is just posturing to get LSU to hurry up their process to avoid a large buyout, but if it’s not he’d be a fool to not take the money on the “chance” that LSU could come calling months from now.
November 13th, 2021 at 11:14 AM ^
I think Lincoln Riley to LSU is just fodder for LSU sports shows. I don't know why Lincoln Riley would leave the awesome situation he has right now.
Is there really validity to the Riley talk? Because I don't know.
November 13th, 2021 at 11:27 AM ^
I think Riley goes to USC. Oklahoma in the SEC won’t be much fun.
November 13th, 2021 at 11:36 AM ^
I don't see why Riley doesn't put some serious focus on improving the defense. He has put in a little improvement. But it just isn't enough. His offenses are, to me, the best in college for years now (except for what Sarkisan/Jones, Brady/Burrow did). But he lets so many games slip away because of defense.
November 13th, 2021 at 9:41 AM ^
Sign it first. Then lose out, with Walker gaining 40 yards per game. Then let Tucker be the one to answer questions about September Heismans and not earning his huge salary.
It is a big gamble, based on a small sample size, and on a guy who has had a lot of luck to get where he is this season, but when nobody cares about your team even when you are good, you need to make a big splash.
November 13th, 2021 at 9:41 AM ^
I won't believe he's going to LSU until he publicly turns them down.
November 13th, 2021 at 9:42 AM ^
Of course he has, not surprising.
November 13th, 2021 at 9:44 AM ^
Who cares. He has to recruit every year with that 1-time transfer. He did great with the 1-time rule. Let’s see how he does without it moving forward.