Photo by: Matthew Mitchell Photography
Mel Tucker Named Finalist for Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award
12/7/2021 3:07:00 PM | Football
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State head football coach Mel Tucker has been named one of 13 finalists for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award, the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) announced on Tuesday afternoon. The FWAA has presented the Coach of the Year Award since 1957 and it was named in Eddie Robinson's honor in 1997.
College Football Hall of Famer Duffy Daugherty is the only previous Spartan coach to win the FWAA Coach of the Year after the Spartans claimed the National Championship in 1965. Mark Dantonio was a three-time finalist for the prestigious honor (2010, 2013, 2015).
Tucker previously earned Big Ten Coach of the Year honors from both the coaches and media last week and was named the AFCA FBS Region 3 Coach of the Year on Monday.
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.
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.
College Football Hall of Famer Duffy Daugherty is the only previous Spartan coach to win the FWAA Coach of the Year after the Spartans claimed the National Championship in 1965. Mark Dantonio was a three-time finalist for the prestigious honor (2010, 2013, 2015).
Tucker previously earned Big Ten Coach of the Year honors from both the coaches and media last week and was named the AFCA FBS Region 3 Coach of the Year on Monday.
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.
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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