Paul Finebaum on Mel Tucker: Michigan State AD faces uphill battle

Mel Tucker pulled off one of the biggest wins in recent memory for the Michigan State Spartans. Following the huge victory, Paul Finebaum stated that the Michigan State athletic director faces an uphill battle to keep Tucker in East Lansing.

With huge job openings like LSU and USC available, Finebaum recognizes that the market for Tucker will be robust. Luckily for the Michigan State head coach, Finebaum notes that Tucker’s stock is through the roof following Saturday’s victory.

“Two, three weeks ago a lot of people were like ‘what are you talking about’ when his name came up for the LSU job. Well, he was on full display yesterday,” stated Finebaum on The ESPN College Football Podcast. “Mel Tucker’s agent just has to be beaming this morning .. his stock just went through the roof.

“Now, the relatively new AD at Michigan State has to be thinking ‘I’ve got to figure out a way to keep him.’ This isn’t just some outlier story. It was really remarkable to watch, it was fun to watch.”

When it was announced Ed Orgeron and LSU were parting ways, it was also reported that LSU fancied Tucker. Now, the decision-makers who backed Tucker are vindicated — pushing harder than before for the Spartans coach.

Should Michigan Sate extend Mel Tucker?

If Michigan State wants to keep Tucker in East Lansing, an extension may be the way to do so. After debating whether or not the Spartans coach deserves one, Finebaum notes that coaches much lesser than Tucker have received them in the past.

“I watched Will Muschamp get a contract extension at South Carolina when nobody wanted the guy. I saw Jeremy Pruitt get one at Tennessee — nobody wanted him. And I saw Ed O [Orgeron] get one at LSU — same thing,” stated Finebaum. “Mel Tucker is different only in that there is a market for him. At least the AD can say I had to do it.”

“For those who were trying to hire Mel down there (LSU), they at least have an afternoon to say, ‘Did you see that?’ So I think it makes him a hotter commodity.”

Michigan State is back in College Football Playoff contention, and it took only took Mel Tucker until his second season to get them there. His impressive turnaround of the program, as well as his many suitors, make him a shoe-in for an extension.

If not, we could see Tucker rocking LSU or USC colors. Either way, the Spartans coach is in for an upgrade after the season.