Michigan State University Athletics
Mel Tucker Press Conference Transcript
8/14/2020 6:34:00 PM | Football
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State head football coach Mel Tucker met with reporters on a Zoom call Friday afternoon to talk about the Big Ten Conference's decision to postpone the 2020 season and what's next for the Spartans.
Below is a complete transcript of the call.
On the range of emotions of the last week, from opening up preseason camp last Friday to the postponement of the season on Tuesday…
We've been very positive. Obviously, there was some disappointment, but we're preparing for what's next and staying focused on what we can control.
On the players' reaction to the news…
They handled it well. It's a mature group. They're following our lead as coaches and staff; we're positive, and we put forth a plan to move forward, and they're excited about it.
On the emotions of telling his team the season was postponed…
Our guys get it. I think everyone knew that that might be a possibility. We were cautiously optimistic going into camp. But our guys handled it well; like I said, they're a mature group, we've done a great job communicating with them along the way, and so obviously there was some disappointment, but not necessarily a surprise.
On what it's been like the past few months since arriving to Michigan State…
I've been really excited to be here. I try to stay neutral in my emotions; I try not to get too high, I try not to get too low, and just deal with what's happening at the moment. What is true? What do we know now? And what needs to be done in the future? So that's how I remain focused.
On the potential of transfers for those who want to play this season elsewhere…
We haven't had that come up yet here. If it does come up, then we'll address it one situation at a time. A lot of that is going to have to do with NCAA legislation, and hopefully we'll know about eligibility sometime within the next week.
On having an extended offseason now…
It's very positive. We're embracing that. Our strength and conditioning staff is outstanding. Coach Novak and his guys are ready to work with our players. We've already begun our offseason conditioning program. We're treating this time like it's January (in terms of the schedule). We're building a broad base of strength and conditioning; that will allow us to be prepared for whatever happens next.
On the sports medicine team possibly handling two seasons in one calendar year in 2021…
We have a great sports medicine team. Sally Nogle, our trainer, does a great job. Dr. Kovan and his staff (as well). Whatever happens, we'll be ready for it. Obviously, the health and safety of our players is first and foremost. The timing of a spring season is going to have a lot to do with how much recovery time there will be, and that remains to be seen.
On a possible silver lining in terms of having more time to work with his players to prepare for a season…
We're going to take advantage of the time that we have, and obviously, we did not have spring ball, and a lot of our summer conditioning program was not available to us, and so we have time now to build that broad base of strength and conditioning. Our players are very excited about it. Like I said, we have a great strength and conditioning program, and Coach Novak has gone a great job. When I visit with our players about our program, and I ask them about our strength and conditioning program, they light up. They love what we're doing in our weight room, and so we're going to make the most of the time that we have.
On the turnaround time in the spring to the fall season…
We'll just have to see, because timing is everything. When that spring season might start, and when it may end, along with when the next season may start, that's going to depend on how much recovery time our players will have, and we just don't know the answers to that yet.
On potential spring season and the return of players who have opted out of fall...
This is a new conversation. A lot of the players that were considering opting out are very, very excited about the program that we set forth currently with strength and conditioning, to get our guys bigger, faster and stronger. It's really a time for us to work on our culture, our process and our connection with our players, and so as time moves on, we'll see what that looks like. But I anticipate full participation or nearly full participation from our players, and we'll see what the future holds.
We're still having conversations and, I'm going to support those guys and whatever they decide to do. That's what I'm here to do, is to support them. As coaches, we're here to teach, motivate and develop, and this is all part of a process. Right now, building our culture, laying the foundation for our process and connecting with our players is a big part of what we're doing. And communicating with our players about future participation and eligibility and NFL, that's all about connection, and we're embracing that.
On the highlights from the limited practice time that the team had...
I like the makeup of our team. I like our team chemistry. I like our work ethic, our guys are unselfish; they love to play football. I just really enjoy watching our staff get a chance to be really hands on with our players really for the first time. And just seeing our guys out there as a football team, and football is a great game. That's why we're here, because we love to coach, we love to play. And it was, it was great being out on the grass with our players.
On the last fall that you weren't either playing or coaching football and how you'll fill that time...
It's been quite some time, probably, maybe 1995 or '96 around that time; it's been it's been a while. (So between finishing in Wisconsin and starting coaching Michigan State).
What are your plans for the fall…
Zoom press conferences (smiling), recruiting, signing footballs. I worked out this morning at 7 a.m., had two donor meetings scheduled today, and recruit, recruit, recruit.
On total number of days to be with the team as a group this year so far...
Very little time with our group, you know as a whole. But we spent a lot of time on Zoom, and spent a lot of time connecting that way. And we used the opportunity during the stay at home order to really continue to work on our culture and talk about our process and connect with our players. And even though we weren't able to see them face to face, as much as we would have liked, we've still been able to connect and do those things.
On if the players grasped some of the concepts during the first few practices…
I could tell by our first practice, when we came together on the field, our players knew what to do. They were familiar with this schemes on both sides of the ball, and also on special teams. I can tell that all of our Zoom meetings and an installation with our schemes virtually really paid off, and so I was really excited about that.
On what things football activities you will be able to do this fall…
It's still in discussion, and we'll see what happens but whatever that may be, whatever that looks like we'll be ready for that. But you know, obviously, we were in helmets and shorts. Football is contact and collision sport. So those are some things that we have to evaluate about our players and our team, our level of physicality and things like that. So when we're able to suit back up when it's safe and when that time is right and put the pads on, we'll be able to find out.
On improving the team culture despite not having the in-season team gatherings and traditions, as well as the team activities off the field, and how to do that virtually during pandemic...
Yes, there's a lot of different ways, and I talked to our players about that a lot during the practices that we did have, and the staff: hustling on and off the field, shirts tucked in, shoes tied up, being punctual, 'coach me coach, yes sir, no, sir.' Giving great effort, technique and fundamentals, all those things are part of how we operate, day to day, like how we're at the cafeteria: 'yes,' 'please' and 'thank you.' And that's all part of culture, and how we study tape, how we how we take notes in meetings, how we walk-through, attention to detail, organization, sense of urgency. Those are all things that can be worked on on a day-to-day basis, and we're doing that.
On the mental standpoint if there is a particular mantra for the players to focus on...
Well right now, we're training still. We're in the midst of a six-and-a-half week strength and conditioning program with Coach Novak and his staff and the one word is 'relentless,' and it's high velocity and it's nonstop. We're going to build a broad base of strength and conditioning, which will allow our players to compete at the highest level when the time is right, so we'll be ready.
On challenges of selling vision to recruits during this period and recruiting plan during this time period...
It's a challenge that we're built for this, and it's all about connection. We have a lot to sell here in Michigan State, academically, socially and obviously from a football standpoint, we have a rich tradition of football here and a lot of great teams, a lot of great players, and a lot of great moments. So we're able to sell that, if it's virtually, FaceTime, Zoom, text, mail, whatever we can do, we're going to sell our program, each and every day and so that's a challenge that we embrace.
On preferring in-person contact if were allowed for that right now...
Well, I like to deal in the reality of what we're able to do now, and not what we wish we could do or what we should have been able to do, and so that's just being where our feet are and seeing what the truth is, what do we know, and try to get it right today and so we've been able to connect with recruits virtually through Zoom and FaceTime and texts, letters and things like that, and that's what we have, and we have to do a great job with that and we're working hard at it every day. And also, that's part of our culture, that's part of our process, that's part of connection; it's just understanding that control what you can control, and work with what you have and not make excuses.
On six-and-a-half week strength and conditioning program and what comes next...
We'll have to see what we're allowed to do with the (Big Ten) Conference and the NCAA, but you know at some point our coaches will get involved, hands on with our players with meetings and hands on teaching and instruction on the field and we'll just have to see what that looks like.
On option to get on field with instruction at this time...
We've chosen to go in the weight room. I believe that your team is built in the weight room. The foundation of your team is built in the weight room: the mental and physical toughness of your team, the culture, the chemistry, the attention to detail, the sense of urgency, that all starts in the weight room.
On being able to see the players day after day strength wise during this upcoming time...
We're laying a foundation, and it's going to be a strong and solid foundation of strength and conditioning and our players are very excited about it. They're embracing what we're doing in the weight room, they're seeing gains daily, and we're just going to continue to build.
On how the team will navigate recruiting if high schools are playing in the spring…
We've seen a lot of players play, we have a lot of offers out, and our offers stand on what we've seen players do previously. And so I don't see that being an issue for us. The players that we're recruiting, they know that we want them, and we're going to continue to recruit them and there's a lot of time between now and December and February, and those signing periods. So we're going to continue to work, sell our culture, sell our process and connect with those recruits and connect with those parents.
On how his team navigated the protocols and testing…
I feel really good about our protocols that we set forth in returning to campus with (Deputy Athletic Director) Alan Haller, and our medical staff and our coaches.
We had the protocols in place, our guys understood them. It got better and better every day as they got used to it and just understood what exactly it took to operate under these conditions. I thought they did a pretty good job and we're going to continue to work to get better. We have to do a great job making decisions as we go; everyone understands how important it is.
And we've also connected with the parents. We've had five parent meetings on Zoom since mid-June, I believe. Our parents also understand our protocols, what our expectations are, and the accountability and what we need to do to keep our players as healthy and safe as possible.
On what he saw out of the quarterback position…
Not a lot of time to evaluate players, but what I did see was very, very competitive. All have leadership capabilities and lead in their own way. Very talented players. All of those quarterbacks are different, and bring different aspects and different talents and abilities to the table, so I'm looking forward to continue to see the open competition and when we're able to get back out there when it's safe and when the time was right, we'll pick up where we left off.
On what he'd like to see in the spring…
Our guys are here to compete and play, we love to coach, we love to play and so whatever is next for us, whatever is presented to us, we'll be ready for that. There are a lot of capable, smart people at the conference level that are working on the plans for the spring. And so, whenever that is unveiled to us, we'll prepare for that and we'll be ready.
On questions of eligibility and roster size…
We'll know a lot more, hopefully, within the next week or so, about eligibility and signing periods and roster sizes relative to the 85. Right now, we just don't know and we're just going to wait to see what the NCAA decides and then once we get that information, then we'll start to plan and figure it out.
On how the players are reacting to other teams nationally practicing…
We're only focused on what we can control. I know that our players are excited about what we're doing right now in our weight room, our strength and conditioning, and building up a broad base of strength and power and explosiveness. Also, the chemistry and the competition and the togetherness that you do build in the weight room and strength conditioning, so we're controlling what we can control, and we're focused on what we're doing here in East Lansing.
On whether he would support players who want to take classes from home…
We would love for them to be here with us working. We have tremendous resources for our players here from nutrition, mental health practitioners of support there, obviously strength and conditioning, coaching and teaching, and just overall connection with our players, academic support is here for our players. We have great protocols in place, a great medical staff and just people that care about our student-athletes, care about their health, their safety, their well-being on and off the field. We're here for them, we want to develop them, we want to teach them, we want to motivate them and we would love for them to be here, if they choose to do that.
Below is a complete transcript of the call.
On the range of emotions of the last week, from opening up preseason camp last Friday to the postponement of the season on Tuesday…
We've been very positive. Obviously, there was some disappointment, but we're preparing for what's next and staying focused on what we can control.
On the players' reaction to the news…
They handled it well. It's a mature group. They're following our lead as coaches and staff; we're positive, and we put forth a plan to move forward, and they're excited about it.
On the emotions of telling his team the season was postponed…
Our guys get it. I think everyone knew that that might be a possibility. We were cautiously optimistic going into camp. But our guys handled it well; like I said, they're a mature group, we've done a great job communicating with them along the way, and so obviously there was some disappointment, but not necessarily a surprise.
On what it's been like the past few months since arriving to Michigan State…
I've been really excited to be here. I try to stay neutral in my emotions; I try not to get too high, I try not to get too low, and just deal with what's happening at the moment. What is true? What do we know now? And what needs to be done in the future? So that's how I remain focused.
On the potential of transfers for those who want to play this season elsewhere…
We haven't had that come up yet here. If it does come up, then we'll address it one situation at a time. A lot of that is going to have to do with NCAA legislation, and hopefully we'll know about eligibility sometime within the next week.
On having an extended offseason now…
It's very positive. We're embracing that. Our strength and conditioning staff is outstanding. Coach Novak and his guys are ready to work with our players. We've already begun our offseason conditioning program. We're treating this time like it's January (in terms of the schedule). We're building a broad base of strength and conditioning; that will allow us to be prepared for whatever happens next.
On the sports medicine team possibly handling two seasons in one calendar year in 2021…
We have a great sports medicine team. Sally Nogle, our trainer, does a great job. Dr. Kovan and his staff (as well). Whatever happens, we'll be ready for it. Obviously, the health and safety of our players is first and foremost. The timing of a spring season is going to have a lot to do with how much recovery time there will be, and that remains to be seen.
On a possible silver lining in terms of having more time to work with his players to prepare for a season…
We're going to take advantage of the time that we have, and obviously, we did not have spring ball, and a lot of our summer conditioning program was not available to us, and so we have time now to build that broad base of strength and conditioning. Our players are very excited about it. Like I said, we have a great strength and conditioning program, and Coach Novak has gone a great job. When I visit with our players about our program, and I ask them about our strength and conditioning program, they light up. They love what we're doing in our weight room, and so we're going to make the most of the time that we have.
On the turnaround time in the spring to the fall season…
We'll just have to see, because timing is everything. When that spring season might start, and when it may end, along with when the next season may start, that's going to depend on how much recovery time our players will have, and we just don't know the answers to that yet.
On potential spring season and the return of players who have opted out of fall...
This is a new conversation. A lot of the players that were considering opting out are very, very excited about the program that we set forth currently with strength and conditioning, to get our guys bigger, faster and stronger. It's really a time for us to work on our culture, our process and our connection with our players, and so as time moves on, we'll see what that looks like. But I anticipate full participation or nearly full participation from our players, and we'll see what the future holds.
We're still having conversations and, I'm going to support those guys and whatever they decide to do. That's what I'm here to do, is to support them. As coaches, we're here to teach, motivate and develop, and this is all part of a process. Right now, building our culture, laying the foundation for our process and connecting with our players is a big part of what we're doing. And communicating with our players about future participation and eligibility and NFL, that's all about connection, and we're embracing that.
On the highlights from the limited practice time that the team had...
I like the makeup of our team. I like our team chemistry. I like our work ethic, our guys are unselfish; they love to play football. I just really enjoy watching our staff get a chance to be really hands on with our players really for the first time. And just seeing our guys out there as a football team, and football is a great game. That's why we're here, because we love to coach, we love to play. And it was, it was great being out on the grass with our players.
On the last fall that you weren't either playing or coaching football and how you'll fill that time...
It's been quite some time, probably, maybe 1995 or '96 around that time; it's been it's been a while. (So between finishing in Wisconsin and starting coaching Michigan State).
What are your plans for the fall…
Zoom press conferences (smiling), recruiting, signing footballs. I worked out this morning at 7 a.m., had two donor meetings scheduled today, and recruit, recruit, recruit.
On total number of days to be with the team as a group this year so far...
Very little time with our group, you know as a whole. But we spent a lot of time on Zoom, and spent a lot of time connecting that way. And we used the opportunity during the stay at home order to really continue to work on our culture and talk about our process and connect with our players. And even though we weren't able to see them face to face, as much as we would have liked, we've still been able to connect and do those things.
On if the players grasped some of the concepts during the first few practices…
I could tell by our first practice, when we came together on the field, our players knew what to do. They were familiar with this schemes on both sides of the ball, and also on special teams. I can tell that all of our Zoom meetings and an installation with our schemes virtually really paid off, and so I was really excited about that.
On what things football activities you will be able to do this fall…
It's still in discussion, and we'll see what happens but whatever that may be, whatever that looks like we'll be ready for that. But you know, obviously, we were in helmets and shorts. Football is contact and collision sport. So those are some things that we have to evaluate about our players and our team, our level of physicality and things like that. So when we're able to suit back up when it's safe and when that time is right and put the pads on, we'll be able to find out.
On improving the team culture despite not having the in-season team gatherings and traditions, as well as the team activities off the field, and how to do that virtually during pandemic...
Yes, there's a lot of different ways, and I talked to our players about that a lot during the practices that we did have, and the staff: hustling on and off the field, shirts tucked in, shoes tied up, being punctual, 'coach me coach, yes sir, no, sir.' Giving great effort, technique and fundamentals, all those things are part of how we operate, day to day, like how we're at the cafeteria: 'yes,' 'please' and 'thank you.' And that's all part of culture, and how we study tape, how we how we take notes in meetings, how we walk-through, attention to detail, organization, sense of urgency. Those are all things that can be worked on on a day-to-day basis, and we're doing that.
On the mental standpoint if there is a particular mantra for the players to focus on...
Well right now, we're training still. We're in the midst of a six-and-a-half week strength and conditioning program with Coach Novak and his staff and the one word is 'relentless,' and it's high velocity and it's nonstop. We're going to build a broad base of strength and conditioning, which will allow our players to compete at the highest level when the time is right, so we'll be ready.
On challenges of selling vision to recruits during this period and recruiting plan during this time period...
It's a challenge that we're built for this, and it's all about connection. We have a lot to sell here in Michigan State, academically, socially and obviously from a football standpoint, we have a rich tradition of football here and a lot of great teams, a lot of great players, and a lot of great moments. So we're able to sell that, if it's virtually, FaceTime, Zoom, text, mail, whatever we can do, we're going to sell our program, each and every day and so that's a challenge that we embrace.
On preferring in-person contact if were allowed for that right now...
Well, I like to deal in the reality of what we're able to do now, and not what we wish we could do or what we should have been able to do, and so that's just being where our feet are and seeing what the truth is, what do we know, and try to get it right today and so we've been able to connect with recruits virtually through Zoom and FaceTime and texts, letters and things like that, and that's what we have, and we have to do a great job with that and we're working hard at it every day. And also, that's part of our culture, that's part of our process, that's part of connection; it's just understanding that control what you can control, and work with what you have and not make excuses.
On six-and-a-half week strength and conditioning program and what comes next...
We'll have to see what we're allowed to do with the (Big Ten) Conference and the NCAA, but you know at some point our coaches will get involved, hands on with our players with meetings and hands on teaching and instruction on the field and we'll just have to see what that looks like.
On option to get on field with instruction at this time...
We've chosen to go in the weight room. I believe that your team is built in the weight room. The foundation of your team is built in the weight room: the mental and physical toughness of your team, the culture, the chemistry, the attention to detail, the sense of urgency, that all starts in the weight room.
On being able to see the players day after day strength wise during this upcoming time...
We're laying a foundation, and it's going to be a strong and solid foundation of strength and conditioning and our players are very excited about it. They're embracing what we're doing in the weight room, they're seeing gains daily, and we're just going to continue to build.
On how the team will navigate recruiting if high schools are playing in the spring…
We've seen a lot of players play, we have a lot of offers out, and our offers stand on what we've seen players do previously. And so I don't see that being an issue for us. The players that we're recruiting, they know that we want them, and we're going to continue to recruit them and there's a lot of time between now and December and February, and those signing periods. So we're going to continue to work, sell our culture, sell our process and connect with those recruits and connect with those parents.
On how his team navigated the protocols and testing…
I feel really good about our protocols that we set forth in returning to campus with (Deputy Athletic Director) Alan Haller, and our medical staff and our coaches.
We had the protocols in place, our guys understood them. It got better and better every day as they got used to it and just understood what exactly it took to operate under these conditions. I thought they did a pretty good job and we're going to continue to work to get better. We have to do a great job making decisions as we go; everyone understands how important it is.
And we've also connected with the parents. We've had five parent meetings on Zoom since mid-June, I believe. Our parents also understand our protocols, what our expectations are, and the accountability and what we need to do to keep our players as healthy and safe as possible.
On what he saw out of the quarterback position…
Not a lot of time to evaluate players, but what I did see was very, very competitive. All have leadership capabilities and lead in their own way. Very talented players. All of those quarterbacks are different, and bring different aspects and different talents and abilities to the table, so I'm looking forward to continue to see the open competition and when we're able to get back out there when it's safe and when the time was right, we'll pick up where we left off.
On what he'd like to see in the spring…
Our guys are here to compete and play, we love to coach, we love to play and so whatever is next for us, whatever is presented to us, we'll be ready for that. There are a lot of capable, smart people at the conference level that are working on the plans for the spring. And so, whenever that is unveiled to us, we'll prepare for that and we'll be ready.
On questions of eligibility and roster size…
We'll know a lot more, hopefully, within the next week or so, about eligibility and signing periods and roster sizes relative to the 85. Right now, we just don't know and we're just going to wait to see what the NCAA decides and then once we get that information, then we'll start to plan and figure it out.
On how the players are reacting to other teams nationally practicing…
We're only focused on what we can control. I know that our players are excited about what we're doing right now in our weight room, our strength and conditioning, and building up a broad base of strength and power and explosiveness. Also, the chemistry and the competition and the togetherness that you do build in the weight room and strength conditioning, so we're controlling what we can control, and we're focused on what we're doing here in East Lansing.
On whether he would support players who want to take classes from home…
We would love for them to be here with us working. We have tremendous resources for our players here from nutrition, mental health practitioners of support there, obviously strength and conditioning, coaching and teaching, and just overall connection with our players, academic support is here for our players. We have great protocols in place, a great medical staff and just people that care about our student-athletes, care about their health, their safety, their well-being on and off the field. We're here for them, we want to develop them, we want to teach them, we want to motivate them and we would love for them to be here, if they choose to do that.
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