Mel Tucker: Michigan State Is a 'Destination Job' amid 10-Year, $95M Contract Rumors

Michigan State football coach Mel Tucker is set to sign a historic 10-year, $95 million contract extension, per Chris Solari and David Jesse of the Detroit Free Press, and says he never intended to use the program as a steppingstone toward a more prominent position.

"I made it clear in my initial press conferences that I thought that Michigan State was a destination job and not a steppingstone," Tucker told The Draymond Green Show. "Obviously, I have Big Ten roots. ... This is where I started my career in 1997 as a graduate assistant for Nick Saban, so Michigan State is a special place for me. It was never my intention to come here and just pass through."

The contract extension would make Tucker college football's second-highest-paid coach behind Nick Saban.

"He's a veritable magician," board member Rema Vassar said of Tucker, per Matt Charboneau of the Detroit News. "He's come through, and we have seen unprecedented increases in student applications after his wins. He has rejuvenated us, our alumni and donors. He brought us back from COVID and united us. We want to keep the momentum going."

Tucker is 11-6 in two seasons at Michigan State, including a 9-1 mark in 2021. The Spartans sit seventh in the College Football Playoff rankings heading into Saturday's game against fourth-ranked Ohio State. Michigan State has not made the playoff since 2015 and finished outside the Top 25 in four of the last five years.

The long-term commitment from the Spartans is a bit surprising given Tucker is in just his third season as a head coach, two of which were losing campaigns. He spent one season at Colorado, going 5-7 in 2019, before arriving in East Lansing.