Alabama Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban reportedly lent an assist to his former program’s head coach search.
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According to a source with inside knowledge of the situation, Saban assisted in Michigan State’s quest to bring in a successor to Mark Dantonio.
Of course, they’d eventually hire Colorado coach Mel Tucker, who was an assistant for Saban in East Lansing.
“I’m very interested in Michigan State having the right person,'” Saban said in the phone call, according to the source. “And they weren’t bashful about asking Nick.”
Saban served as head coach of the Spartans from 1995-1999 after having previously served as defensive coordinator/defensive backs coach from 1983-1987.
“Mel has made a name for himself as one of the best and brightest coaches in our profession,” Saban said of Tucker, who was a head coach at Colorado for one season before taking the MSU job. Tucker also was an interim head coach in the NFL, for the Jacksonville Jaguars, amid a slew of coaching jobs since he played at Wisconsin in the mid-1990s. “I believe he will do a tremendous job as head coach of the Spartans. MSU is getting a guy with infinite class and a great personality, who is smart, works hard, and does it with an incredible amount of enthusiasm and positive energy.
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“Mel is a tireless recruiter who knows the game of college football and understands what it will take to be successful in East Lansing.”
– – Quotes courtesy of Tony Paul of the Detroit News Link – –
