Mel Tucker Michigan State Contract Details Revealed

Michigan State's shambolic head coaching search mercifully came to an end on Wednesday when the program announced an agreement with former Colorado skipper Mel Tucker.

It's a move that should leave Spartans fans feeling reassured after Mark Dantonio left the program at a crossroads after abruptly retiring last week.

Roughly 24 hours after formally introducing Tucker as the program's new HC, Michigan State released the details of his contract. According to Larry Lage of the Associate Press, it's a six-year agreement that pays $5.5 million annually.

Michigan State is paying Mel Tucker $5.5 million per season as part of his six-year contract. Tucker was one season into a five-year, $14.75 million contract at Colorado.
— Larry Lage (@LarryLage) February 13, 2020

This sum more than doubles Tucker's salary with the Buffaloes. The 48-year-old had just wrapped up the first season of a five-year, $14 million contract at Colorado.

Tucker will receive a base salary of $3.8 million, but will earn another $1.2 million in supplemental incomes, which includes commonplace cameos with Spartan-based media outlets, and conforming to apparel contracts.

The agreement also features a yearly retention bonus of $400,000.

Michigan State bails out a clunky search by paying big bucks. Can’t blame Tucker for leaving and more than doubling his salary. https://t.co/9Tr3RrfSAL
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) February 13, 2020

As is the case with each coach in college football, Tucker can run into some extra cash reserve through performance incentive bonuses, like being named Big Ten Coach of the Year, for example.

If it wasn't official before, it certainly is now: a new era of football is officially underway in East Lansing.