Report: LSU brass 'really high' on Michigan State coach Mel Tucker

Michigan State coach Mel Tucker is a top candidate to replace Ed Orgeron as LSU football coach, according to FOX reporter Bruce Feldman. The Tigers announced Sunday they will part ways with Orgeron, the coach since 2016, at the end of the season.

The news came on the heels of a 49-42 victory for the Tigers against Florida this past week, but negotiations had been in the works before then.

“I am told that there are some very influential people inside LSU who are really, really high on Mel Tucker,” Feldman said. “Mel Tucker was an assistant at LSU on Nick Saban’s staff. He knows the SEC very well. He was at Colorado and now Michigan State. Would he make another move in a short period of time? But this I know: People who are inside LSU who matter are really high on Mel Tucker.”

Tucker is in his second year leading the Spartans and has them at 7-0 and ranked inside the top 10. This year will be the first winning season of his coaching career. He finished 2-5 in his inaugural season with the Spartans and 5-7 in one year at Colorado.

Orgeron led the Tigers to a national championship victory in 2019. Since that game, he is 9-8. He still owns an impressive 49-17 record since taking over LSU. That includes a win in the Fiesta Bowl during the 2018 season. The coach defended his job status in a press conference last week, getting into a heated exchange with one reporter.

“Are you trying to get another quote from me?” Orgeron asked.

“I’m just trying to do my job,” the reporter replied back.

“Good,” the coach said with a sly smile. “We’ll I’m gonna do mine. I’m handling it great. I said that before.”

In that same press conference, Orgeron also claimed that he had not had any discussions regarding his job. Now it appears that was false, as the coach turns his attention toward finishing out the year and entering a job search of his own.

Orgeron and LSU agreed to a six-year contract with nearly $6 million per year in 2020. That ranks as the second-highest in college football behind Alabama coach Nick Saban’s deal. USA Today estimated that the buyout for the coach could cost the school more than $17 million if he is fired on Dec. 1.

The Tigers will look to extend their winning streak in Week 8 when they play against No. 13 Ole Miss. Although Orgeron will lead the Tigers out in that one, it won’t be long before we see another LSU coach on the sidelines — possibly Mel Tucker.