Report: Mel Tucker nearing monster extension from Michigan State

Tuck Comin’? More like Tuck Stayin’.

Michigan State is preparing to offer coach Mel Tucker a big contract extension, according to Justin Thind.

The deal is expected to include a salary in excess of $8 million a year, a sizable increase from the $5.5 million he is currently making. It would make him the nation’s highest-paid Black coach in 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.

Rico Beard of 97.1 The Ticket in Detroit was the 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.

Last year, the Spartans went 2-5 in Tucker’s first season, which was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. But Michigan State hit a new gear this year, now 9-1 and No. 7 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings.

Tucker made a huge splash in the transfer portal last offseason, as well, when he landed Wake Forest transfer Kenneth Walker III. Walker has become a Heisman contender this season, leading the nation with 148.3 rush yards per game — a stark contrast to last year when Michigan State’s run game was almost non-existent.

Michigan State is getting ready to take on Ohio State this weekend in Columbus.

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

Last month, FOX Sports’ Bruce Feldman listed Tucker as a top candidate to replace Ed Orgeron at LSU. The Tigers announced Oct. 17 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.”

On3’s Ashton Pollard contributed to this report.