Mel Tucker

Mel Tucker
Current position
Title Defensive Backs coach
Team Alabama Crimson Tide
Personal information
Date of birth January 4, 1972
Place of birth Cleveland, Ohio
Alma mater University of Wisconsin-Madison
Head coaching record
Career record 2–3 (.400)
Team(s) as a player
Position(s) Defensive back
Team(s) as a coach/administrator
1997–1998 Michigan State
(Graduate assistant)
1999 Miami (Ohio)
(Defensive backs)
2000 LSU
(Defensive backs)
2001–2003 Ohio State
(Defensive backs)
2004 Ohio State
(Co-defensive coordinator)
2005–2007 Cleveland Browns
(Defensive backs)
2008 Cleveland Browns
(Defensive coordinator)
2009–2011 Jacksonville Jaguars
(Defensive coordinator)
2012 Jacksonville Jaguars
(Assistant head coach)
(Defensive coordinator)
2013–2014 Chicago Bears
(Defensive coordinator)
2015–present Alabama Crimson Tide
(Defensive backs)

Mel Tucker (born January 4, 1972) is an American football coach who is the defensive backs coach for the Alabama Crimson Tide. He is formerly the defensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL).[1][2]

Early life

Tucker was born in Cleveland, Ohio. He attended Cleveland Heights High School where he was a football standout. He then attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he played defensive back for the Wisconsin Badgers football team. He graduated in 1995 with a degree in agricultural business management.[3]

Coaching career

Tucker began his coaching career in 1997 as a graduate assistant for the Michigan State University Spartans under head coach Nick Saban.[4] In 1999 he served as a defensive backs coach for the Miami University Redhawks, and then in 2000 followed Saban to Louisiana State University to fill the same position with the LSU Tigers. In 2001 he became defensive backs coach for the Ohio State University Buckeyes under coach Jim Tressel, and in 2004 he was made co-defensive coordinator.[3]

In 2005 Tucker entered the National Football League with the Cleveland Browns. He coached defensive backs from 2005–2007 and was promoted to defensive coordinator in the 2008 season following the firing of Todd Grantham.[5][6] Under Tucker, Cleveland consistently ranked fifth in the league, with the defense making 73 interceptions.[3] After the firing of Browns head coach Romeo Crennel, Tucker was replaced by Rob Ryan.[7]

In 2009 Tucker was hired by the Jacksonville Jaguars as the defensive coordinator. In the 2011 season head coach Jack Del Rio put Tucker in charge of defensive play-calling, and the team quickly became the fourth highest rated in the NFL. On November 29, 2011, Tucker was named Jacksonville's interim head coach following the firing of Del Rio. He ran the team for their final five games and was in consideration for the job full-time until Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey was named head coach on January 10, 2012. Tucker got his first victory as a head coach in week 14, a 41-14 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He went 2-3 as interim head coach. On January 12, 2012 he informed the media he would return to his position as defensive coordinator for the Jaguars. On January 13, 2012 it was announced that Tucker would also be the assistant head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars. On January 18, 2013 Tucker was named defensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears.[8]

Following one of the worst defensive seasons in Bears' history in 2013, Tucker received criticism from the media.[9] As a result, team fired two of Tucker's assistant coaches, linebackers coach Tim Tibesar and defensive line coach Mike Phair.[10] The Bears replaced them with Paul Pasqualoni as defensive line coach and Reggie Herring as linebackers coach.[11]

On January 20, 2015, following another record-setting low defensive season for the Bears, Tucker was replaced by former San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Vic Fangio under new head coach John Fox.[12]

On January 26, 2015, it was reported Alabama was hiring Tucker as its DB coach.

Head coaching record

Team Year Regular Season Post Season
WonLostTiesWin %Finish Won Lost Win % Result
JAC2011 230.4004th in AFC South - - - -

References

  1. ↑ Stellino, Vito (January 24, 2009). "Jaguars sign Tucker as new D-coordinator". Florida Times-Union. Retrieved December 29, 2010.
  2. ↑ Mike Florio (November 29, 2011). "Del Rio out in Jacksonville". profootballtalk.nbcsports.com. NBC Sports. Retrieved November 29, 2011.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Mel Tucker, Interim Head Coach". www.jaguars.com. Jacksonville Jaguars. 2011. Retrieved November 30, 2011.
  4. ↑ Gene Frenette (November 30, 2011). "Low-key Mel Tucker takes center stage as Jaguars' coach". The Florida Times-Union. Retrieved November 30, 2011.
  5. ↑ Associated Press (January 12, 2008). "Browns Fire Grantham as Defensive Coordinator". The New York Times. Retrieved December 29, 2010.
  6. ↑ Bensch, Bob (January 12, 2008). "Cleveland Browns Promote Mel Tucker to Defensive Coordinator". Bloomberg. Retrieved December 29, 2010.
  7. ↑ Carucci, Vic (May 28, 2009). "Many teams make notable adjustments on defense". NFL.com. Retrieved December 29, 2010.
  8. ↑ "Chicago Bears name Mel Tucker defensive coordinator". National Football League. 2013-01-18. Retrieved 2013-01-18.
  9. ↑ Haugh, David (December 30, 2013). "Emotions aside, Bears must say bye to Mel Tucker". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 10/1/2014. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  10. ↑ Dickerson, Jeff (January 13, 2014). "Bears fire two assistant coaches". ESPN Chicago. Retrieved 10/1/2014. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  11. ↑ Meyer, Larry (January 23, 2014). "Bears hire two assistant coaches". Chicago Bears. Retrieved 10/1/2014. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  12. ↑ Wright, Michael (January 20, 2015). "Vic Fangio new Bears D-coordinator".
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Todd Grantham		 Cleveland Browns Defensive Coordinator
2008 		Succeeded by
Rob Ryan
Preceded by
Gregg Williams		 Jacksonville Jaguars Defensive Coordinator
2009–2013 		Succeeded by
Bob Babich
Preceded by
Rod Marinelli		 Chicago Bears Defensive Coordinator
2013–2014 		Succeeded by
Vic Fangio