'It's a production business': Michigan State's Mel Tucker says early season firings are reality in modern college football
EAST LANSING – Just three days into October, only three FBS programs have reached the halfway point of their 12-game regular seasons.
Yet five schools already have parted ways with their head coach.
The latest came Sunday night, when Wisconsin dismissed Paul Chryst, one day after the team fell to 2-3 overall (and 0-2 in the Big Ten) after a blowout loss to Illinois (and former Badgers coach Bret Bielema).
In eight years at the helm, Chryst won 72% (67-26) of his games. He had a 43-18 mark (70.5%) in conference contests and earned bowl berths all seven seasons entering this fall, including three New Year's Six bowls. He also won the Big Ten's West Division three times and never finished with a losing record.
None of those accomplishments saved his job.
Michigan State coach Mel Tucker, a Wisconsin alum, said that's the harsh reality of coaching college football at the highest level.
"It's a production business," Tucker, in his third season at MSU, said during his weekly press conference Monday. "That's what it is."
And why he wasn't stunned by Wisconsin's decision to can Chryst.
"Nothing shocks me or surprises me — at all — in anything that we're doing from a football standpoint," Tucker said.
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The college football coaching carousel seems to start spinning earlier and earlier with each passing year. Tucker said it's not something he ever discusses with his players. Mainly because he feels they're as knowledgeable as anyone about the modern landscape: If a team doesn't win, a coaching change likely isn't far off.
Rising coaching salaries come with heightened expectations — and shorter leashes than ever before.
"Who are we kidding, right? It's important to be realistic about everything that we do and be aware, and then control what you can control," Tucker said. "But that's the reality of the situation, obviously. That's what we sign up for. This is voluntary."
Contact Ryan Black at rblack@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @RyanABlack.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: MSU football: Mel Tucker says early season firings now part of the sport
