LSU coaching search: Prominent candidate to receive 'historic' contract at current school, per report
LSU may need to look elsewhere if news out of East Lansing, Michigan is true.
Mel Tucker is set to receive a 10-year, $95 million contract to continue to coach Michigan State, and presumably put off the possibility of him taking the LSU job.
MSU is preparing a historic $95 million, 10-year contract extension for Tucker to remain with the Spartans, university sources confirmed to the Free Press on Wednesday. The 49-year-old Cleveland native is set to become among the highest-paid coaches in the country.
If approved and signed, the new contract would elevate Tucker above the estimated $7 million contract of Penn State’s James Franklin that is the highest salary in the Big Ten in 2021, according to a USA TODAY salary database. Only Nick Saban at Alabama ($9.753 million) is making more this season than Tucker will under his reworked contract, according to the database. LSU’s Ed Orgeron was the second-highest-paid coach in college football this year at $9.012 million.
About a month ago, Tucker became a potential target for the LSU job according to a report by FOX Sports’ Bruce Feldman, before the Spartans played at Indiana and a day before Orgeron officially was terminated. That was a big reason for the push by MSU to rework his deal and lock up Tucker long-term.
Tucker’s $5.632 million in total compensation this season was fourth among Big Ten coaches and 13th nationally.