College

Regarding Mel Tucker and the Georgia State job

ATHENS – Georgia defensive coordinator Mel Tucker is not a candidate for the Georgia State head coaching job at this time, according to someone with knowledge of the situation.

Tucker was mentioned last week as a candidate by USA Today. But Tucker’s experience is mostly in the NFL, and it appears Georgia State is looking for someone with more college experience, who will build a program that definitely needs rebuilding.

That's not to say Tucker, who will turn 45 on Jan. 4, won't be sought after for other jobs this offseason. Georgia's defense finished the regular season ranked 16th nationally, and fourth in the SEC.

Tucker is also the secondary coach, and Georgia ranks 19th in pass defense. It was first nationally last year, but that was against a less pass-heavy schedule.

Tucker signed a three-year contract earlier this year that pays him $850,000 annually.

A native of Ohio, Tucker began his coaching career at the college level, working at places like LSU and Ohio State, then went to the NFL in 2005, where he was until being hired as Alabama’s secondary coach before the 2015 season. Tucker was a defensive coordinator for three different teams, and the interim head coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars for the final five games of the 2011 season.

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