Photo by: Matthew Mitchell Photography
Mel Tucker Earns AFCA Region 3 Coach of the Year Honors
12/6/2021 1:30:00 PM | Football
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State head football coach Mel Tucker has been named the AFCA (American Football Coaches Association) FBS Region 3 Coach of the Year, the association announced on Monday. One of five coaches to earn regional honors, Tucker is now a finalist for the 2021 Werner Ladder AFCA FBS National Coach of the Year, which will be announced on Sunday, Jan. 9.
Tucker previously earned Big Ten Coach of the Year honors from both the coaches and media last week.
The AFCA recognizes five regional Coach of the Year winners in each of the Association's five divisions: Football Bowl Subdivision, Football Championship Subdivision, Division II, Division III and NAIA. The winners are selected by active members of the association who vote for coaches in their respective regions and divisions.
In just his second year in East Lansing, Tucker has led MSU to a 10-2 record and a berth in the New Year's Six with a matchup against No. 12 Pittsburgh in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on Thursday, Dec. 30 in Atlanta. The Spartans finished No. 10 in the final College Football Playoff Top 25 rankings that were released on Sunday and are also ranked No. 10 in the AFCA/USA TODAY Coaches Poll and No. 11 in the AP Poll.
Named to watch lists for National Coach of the Year by the Dodd Trophy and the Paul "Bear" Bryant Award, Tucker garnered national coach of the week accolades by the Dodd Trophy and The Athletic following Michigan State's 37-33 victory over No. 6 Michigan on Oct. 30, as he became the first Spartan coach to win his first two games against the Wolverines (27-24 victory at No. 13 Michigan on Oct. 31, 2020).
Going from two wins in 2020 to 10 wins in 2021, MSU has already completed the biggest turnaround in school history (previous: seven-game improvement from 2016 to 2017) heading into the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. Tucker also became the earliest Spartan coach to win 10 games in a season (previous: Mark Dantonio with 11 wins in his fourth season at MSU in 2010).
Tucker will coach in his first bowl game as a head coach when the Spartans (10-2, 7-2 Big Ten) face the Panthers (11-2, 7-1 ACC) in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on Thursday, Dec. 30 at 7 p.m. in Atlanta. The game will be televised on ESPN.
Tucker previously earned Big Ten Coach of the Year honors from both the coaches and media last week.
The AFCA recognizes five regional Coach of the Year winners in each of the Association's five divisions: Football Bowl Subdivision, Football Championship Subdivision, Division II, Division III and NAIA. The winners are selected by active members of the association who vote for coaches in their respective regions and divisions.
In just his second year in East Lansing, Tucker has led MSU to a 10-2 record and a berth in the New Year's Six with a matchup against No. 12 Pittsburgh in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on Thursday, Dec. 30 in Atlanta. The Spartans finished No. 10 in the final College Football Playoff Top 25 rankings that were released on Sunday and are also ranked No. 10 in the AFCA/USA TODAY Coaches Poll and No. 11 in the AP Poll.
Named to watch lists for National Coach of the Year by the Dodd Trophy and the Paul "Bear" Bryant Award, Tucker garnered national coach of the week accolades by the Dodd Trophy and The Athletic following Michigan State's 37-33 victory over No. 6 Michigan on Oct. 30, as he became the first Spartan coach to win his first two games against the Wolverines (27-24 victory at No. 13 Michigan on Oct. 31, 2020).
Going from two wins in 2020 to 10 wins in 2021, MSU has already completed the biggest turnaround in school history (previous: seven-game improvement from 2016 to 2017) heading into the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. Tucker also became the earliest Spartan coach to win 10 games in a season (previous: Mark Dantonio with 11 wins in his fourth season at MSU in 2010).
Tucker will coach in his first bowl game as a head coach when the Spartans (10-2, 7-2 Big Ten) face the Panthers (11-2, 7-1 ACC) in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on Thursday, Dec. 30 at 7 p.m. in Atlanta. The game will be televised on ESPN.
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