Mel Tucker has reportedly been hired as the new defensive backs coach at the University of Alabama.
Former Chicago Bears DC Mel Tucker will be Alabama’s new secondary coach per sources.
— Thayer Evans (@ThayerEvansSI) January 26, 2015
Tucker was fired by the Chicago Bears last week following an ugly two-year stint as their defensive coordinator.
Nevertheless, a day after receiving his walking papers, the 43-year-old Wisconsin alum reportedly drew interest from the Oakland Raiders for their defensive coordinator vacancy.
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Photo Credit: Jaguars.com
If you’re wondering why he would take his talents down to Tuscaloosa, consider this: Tucker began his coaching career as a 25-year-old graduate assistant at Michigan State in 1997 under then-head coach Nick Saban.
Tucker held the position for two seasons before becoming the DBs coach at Miami (OH) in 1999. The following season, Tucker headed down to Baton Rouge, reuniting with Saban (LSU’s new HC at the time) to serve as the Tigers’ DBs coach in 2000.
Tucker then moved on to Ohio State, serving the same position Saban had at the school 20 years earlier (1980-81). Tucker remained the Buckeyes’ secondary coach for three seasons (2001-03), before becoming the program’s co-defensive coordinator in 2004.
In 2005, Tucker took his talents to the next level as the Cleveland Browns’ secondary coach, a position he held for three years before being promoted to defensive coordinator in 2008.
He then went down to Jacksonville in 2009 and served as the DC under then-head coach Jack Del Rio. In 2011, Tucker was put in charge of the defensive play-calling, and the unit excelled under his guidance.
Del Rio was fired in late November 2011, and Tucker took over as the interim head coach for the 3-8 Jaguars, guiding the club to a 2-3 record through the final five games of the season. He received consideration for the HC vacancy, but the job ultimately went to former Falcons OC Mike Mularkey, who was fired from the team after an atrocious 2-14 season in 2012.
Tucker was the team’s assistant HC during the 2012 season before he took his talents to the Windy City.
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