| Tucker grew up in Cleveland (Cleveland
Heights High School) and played college football at the University of
Wisconsin. Prior to joining the staff at Ohio State, he spent two years at
Miami (Ohio) University (1998-99) and one year at LSU (2000). He coached
the defensive backs at both of those schools.
“I am excited about the addition of Mel Tucker to our
staff. He is a sharp young coach and I was very impressed with him during
our interview,” Head Coach Romeo Crennel said. “As evidenced by the job he
has done with the defensive backs at Ohio State, I know he will be a great
contributor to our defense and he will be instrumental in the success of our
defensive backs.”
In his four years at Ohio State, Tucker
developed into an outstanding teacher and motivator and demonstrated the
ability to get the most out of his players. He was regarded as one of the
up-and-coming young coaches in college football.
Two of Tucker’s Ohio State players – strong
safeties Michael Doss and Will Allen – won first-team All-America honors.
Doss was so honored in 2001 and 2002, while Allen was accorded All-America
recognition in 2003 in his first year as a starter. Additionally, cornerback
Chris Gamble was a second team All-American pick in 2003.
Tucker prepped at Cleveland Heights High
School and was a two-time member of the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s
All-Scholastic team. He won All-Ohio honors in football as a senior and also
enjoyed an outstanding basketball career.
At Wisconsin, Tucker earned four letters as a
defensive back. He graduated in the spring of 1995 and played briefly in the
Canadian Football League.
He began his coaching career in 1997 as a
graduate assistant under Nick Saban at Michigan State University. After two
years in that capacity, he became defensive backfield coach at Miami (Ohio).
He spent two years with the RedHawks, leaving after the 1999 season to
re-join Saban who had moved on to LSU.
Mel and his wife Jo-Ellyn, an attorney, were
married in June of 1999. They have two sons, Joseph (2/18/02) and Christian
(2/18/04).
| 
