Michigan State University football coach Mel Tucker is having a very good Thanksgiving.
Dianne Byrum, the chairperson of the MSU Board of Trustees, says the board is “very happy” with Tucker’s success with the Spartan football program.
Clearly they are, since the board appears ready to approve a ten-year, $95 million contract, which Tucker has already signed.
Tucker’s contract includes non-performance related compensation of $9.5 million per year, including a $5.9 million base, $3.2 million in supplemental compensation for media and personal appearances, plus a $400,000 contingent annual bonus. The contract expires on January 15, 2032.
2021 has been a good year for Tucker, with the Spartans racking up nine wins and briefly flirting with the national football playoff. Tucker has been named to watch lists for National Coach of the Year and the Paul “Bear” Bryant Award.
Not bad for a second year coach who posted a losing record last year.
MSU athletic director Alan Haller insists the decision to extend Mel Tucker’s contract is not based on one year of results, but rather “it’s an investment in a promising future for Spartan football.”
Tucker has been coaching football for 25 years, including multiple stops at major college and National Football League programs.
In his three years as a head coach, including 2 years at MSU and 1 year at the University of Colorado, Mel Tucker has combined record of 16 wins and 14 losses.
