EAST LANSING, Mich. (BVM) — After the 2019 football season, it was clear that something had to give for the Spartans. In a rather unsurprising move, Mark Dantonio — then the head football coach for Michigan State University — announced his retirement. 

Dantonio built the program to championship heights, winning the Big Ten Championship game twice, and the Rose Bowl in 2014 against a tough Stanford team. After a few seasons of mediocrity, it was clear that the program needed a new direction. Dantonio had been the head coach for the Spartans for over a decade, so a coaching change was big news. 

After some swirling rumors about Cincinnati head coach, Luke Fickell, Michigan State finally landed on Mel Tucker. Tucker is no rookie to the football scene, as he has been coaching at the collegiate/professional level for 24 seasons now. Most recently, he was the head coach at the University of Colorado, but also has experience with Ohio State University, the University of Alabama, the Cincinnati Bengals, the Jacksonville Jaguars, and the Chicago Bears.

In the past two decades, Michigan State football has developed a culture of gritty, hardworking and dedicated players. Tucker comes from the school of hard knocks and showed so during his introductory press conference.

“I promise you we will do everything to prepare, practice and play relentless and accountable football with toughness and integrity,” Tucker said.

Although Tucker’s first season as head coach wasn’t anything he expected with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and a tough 5-7 record, there are some positives to be drawn from the season. In only his second game as head coach, Tucker faced off with in-state rival Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan Wolverines. 

After having just lost to Rutgers the week before, a team which the Spartans hadn’t lost to since 2004, fans were dismal to say the least. Despite a solid Michigan performance against Minnesota the week prior, Rocky Lombardi and Michigan State torched the Michigan defense for 323 yards through the air and 126 yards rushing to beat the Wolverines 27-24, thus securing the first top–15 win for Mel Tucker at Michigan State. 

Despite the Spartans going on to lose four of their next five games, there was another flash of the old Michigan State at No. 8 Northwestern. The new Spartan coach and the defense showed out, allowing only 63 yards rushing to a team that averaged 163 yards on the season. This would secure the first top–10 win of Tucker’s career with Michigan State, tying Harbaugh. 

Even though Mel Tucker was handed a mixed bag at the start of his tenure, he’s made the best of it, collecting some big wins and building for the future. It is clear to everyone watching the direction that Tucker wants to take his team; back to the top. The path to the top won’t be an easy one, as Michigan State is still marred from a recruiting standpoint, frequently losing out on top recruits in Michigan to the Wolverines and other big schools like Alabama and Ohio State. 

One way that Tucker has started to combat this issue is the use of the transfer portal. Every year prospects that feel like they aren’t being utilized to their full potential seek out new suitors. Tucker has already landed some big names including former Alabama cornerback and four-star recruit Ronald Williams, former Tennessee linebacker and No. 1 recruit in North Carolina Quavaris Crouch, and former Purdue wide receiver and four-star recruit, Maliq Carr. 

Tucker is a realist and understands that Michigan State is not the most attractive choice for a big name player out of high school. Tucker is using the system to his advantage to find value where other schools may not be able to. 

With a revitalized culture and a hungry new coach, watch out for Mel Tucker and the Michigan State Spartans this fall.

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