Mel Tucker, Michigan State embracing change in college football
Perhaps no sport in America is changing as rapidly as college football.
Within the last eight years, we’ve watched the sport move from the BCS era into the College Football Playoff era. We’ve seen an early signing period added to the recruiting calendar. We’ve seen the transfer portal virtually bring a de facto “free agency” to college football.
But it can be argued that the biggest change of all was when college players were given the ability to profit off of their Name, Image and Likeness. This seismic shift in collegiate athletics was met with criticism by some, and welcomed with open arms by others.
Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker falls into the latter category.
“We embrace it,” Tucker said in a radio interview on 97.1’s ‘The Valenti Show w. Rico’. “I’m happy for the players, that they get a chance to get what they can get.”
Tucker said that Michigan State is doing what it can to help players as they seek investors to help build their personal brands.
“We’re doing everything we can here to educate our players and make sure they make the right decisions,” he said. “We want our players to have strong brands that align with people that are successful and want to do big things. So, we want our players to be aligned with them and be partnered with them.”
With the introduction of NIL naturally comes the temptation of distraction for players, but Tucker said that is just one more thing that he and his staff need to address as coaches.
“Brand; name, image and likeness; education; social media – that’s all part of it,” Tucker said. “I remember, back in the day, it was the three phases – offense, defense and special teams. Then, it was offense, defense, special teams and media. Now, it’s offense, defense, special teams, media, social media, name image and likeness, branding – I mean, it’s all of the above. You have to embrace that.”
Michigan State isn’t running away from these added challenges. In fact, they are trying to stay ahead of other programs in the areas of NIL and the transfer portal, to reap the competitive benefits that come with those things.
“The game has changed. It’s not what it was, even five years ago. It’s not what it was, even two years ago,” Tucker said. “You have to adapt and adjust, embrace the new and, quite frankly, you want to stay ahead of the curve. You always want to be looking around the corner. You want to see things from ten thousand feet, as opposed to a hundred feet or looking at things through a straw, because that’s how you fall behind.
“We’re going to be aggressive in everything we do. We always want to focus on what’s next, or anticipate what’s next, and give ourselves the best chance to be successful, and give our players the best chance to be successful.”
At the end of the day, Tucker wants what’s best for his players. He wants them to be successful on the field and off the field. He wants them to be successful during their football careers, and after their football careers. He wants Michigan State to be a key part in helping these players achieve that success.
“We want our players to come to Michigan State and say, ‘I’m a better person, I’m a better player, I’m a better student. I’m just better because I chose to come to Michigan State, and Michigan State did everything they possibly could do to develop me as an entire person,” Tucker said.
“I tell our players that football is what you do, it’s not who you are. Football is one of the things that you do well. So, branding; name, image and likeness; financial literacy; civic engagement; paid internships – all those things that we talk about is to develop the entire player, the entire student-athlete, so they can launch their career after football at some point. And Michigan State’s a great place to do that.”
