MSU Football: Nick Saban Shows his Support of Mel Tucker

In 1995, Nick Saban made his debut as the 20th head football coach at Michigan State; much like Mel Tucker, the season-opening game against Nebraska didn't go as planned.

East Lansing, MI – Twenty-five years ago, Nick Saban walked into Spartan Stadium for his head coaching debut and got blown out by Nebraska, 50-10. 

Granted, the Cornhuskers weren't Rutgers. 

Nebraska, a perennial powerhouse in 1995, finished No. 1 in the AP and Coaches polls, went undefeated, and was named national champs – unlike the Scarlet Knights who came to East Lansing having lost 21-straight conference games.

Still, Saban knows how Mel Tucker is feeling following the 38-27 home-opening loss.

Naturally, the fanbase wasn't happy, and with Michigan up next, he needs to find a way to right the ship.

Saban believes Tucker will do just that.

"Mel is a very capable guy," said Saban. "He did an outstanding job for us when he was with us, and I think has done a really good job, wherever he's been, in whatever his responsibility has been."

Tucker's no stranger to competing against the Wolverines; as a defensive back for Wisconsin, he walked out of Ann Arbor with a victory in 1994 and finished 3-1 during his tenure as an assistant coach for Ohio State. 

However, neither Spartan team he helped coach (1997-98) defeated their rival. 

And on Saturday, he'll attempt to do what his old mentor did; beat Michigan in his first try; becoming the second coach ever to do so.  

But it's all a process.

"We'll learn from it. We've got a young football team that's bought in and is eager, that's motivated and wants to do well. We've done some good things," Tucker said. "And this is a week to get some things cleaned up and improve. I believe that you typically make your most improvement from Game 1 to Game 2, and that's really where our focus is."

Tell us what you think in the comment section below.

Want the latest breaking MSU news delivered straight to your email for FREE? Sign up for the DAILY Spartan Nation newsletter when you CLICK THE MAGAZINE ICON at the top left of the page or the FOLLOW button back on the main page. Don't miss any of the latest up to the second updates on Michigan State Sports when you follow on Twitter @HondoCarpenter @McLainGrant1