Kirby Smart: Mel Tucker was great asset to Georgia, but even bigger to him personally

During the SEC Football Head Coaches Teleconference on Wednesday, Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart reflected on his time and relationship with Michigan State’s head coach Mel Tucker.

Tucker was Smart’s defensive coordinator and defensive back coach at Georgia from 2016 to 2018. The two first worked together at Alabama underneath Nick Saban in 2015, before jumping ship to the Bulldogs. Smart was the Crimson Tide defensive coordinator, and Tucker was their assistant head coach and defensive back coach.

When talking about the Spartans head man, Smart reflected on what kind of asset he was for him and the Georgia Bulldogs program during his time there.

“Yeah, Mel was tremendous for our progress; he was tremendous for me. Probably, the bigger asset for me personally as a young first-time head coach,” Smart said. “Then. he was a great asset to the players to the guys he played for. He’s a really good teacher, probably not as emotional as I was early on and it helped keep things at a level head.

“You know he’s got so much experience so the fact he was part of our staff was a tremendous asset for me, for the players. I know if you ask Eric Stokes, he meant so much in Eric Stokes’ life because he helped recruit him. He helped teach him a position and develop him. Now Stokes didn’t finish under him but he grew up under Mel’s tutelage. And it meant a lot to Stokes and his development.

“But there’s countless times that he helped with you know kids on the team personality-wise. He could he can handle any kids and so many kids just respect Mel’s maturity.”

Mel Tucker is about to get paid

News broke Wednesday that Michigan State was prepared to offer football coach Mel Tucker a contract extension. However, the Detroit Free-Press countered that report with the same news, just different figures.

Michigan State is preparing a historic $95 million, 10-year contract extension for Tucker, according to the Detroit Free-Press. It would make him the highest-paid coach in the Big Ten and the nation’s highest-paid Black coach across all sports.

Per Michigan State football alums and “Inside the Locker Room” hosts Brian Mosallam and Jason Strayhorn, fellow alums and big donors Matt Ishbia and Steve St. Andre stepped in to fund the extension.

Justin Thind first reported the future extension Wednesday morning. His source expected to include a salary in excess of $8 million a year, a sizable increase from the $5.5 million he is currently making.

However, even that number was a jump from the first hint of an extension. Rico Beard of 97.1 The Ticket in Detroit was first to bring up the possibility of an extension last week.

“I have sources who said it appears that Mel Tucker is going to be getting a contract extension with money around $6.8 to $7.8 million (per year) with escalators and bonuses that could take him up even higher,” Beard said on “The Valenti Show with Rico” on Nov. 11.

One possible reason for the increase – or perceived increase – is interest from rival schools. Tucker has become a popular name in connection to the LSU opening, controlled by athletic director Scott Woodward. The Louisiana native also has a history of splashy hires, including Jimbo Fisher’s $100 million, 10-year deal at Texas A&M.