When you pick up a big-upset victory over a highly ranked team, you’ll get some recognition. That was the case for a pair of Michigan State football players on Monday, and new head coach Mel Tucker got the same treatment on Tuesday.
Tucker was selected as the Dodd Trophy Coach of the Week on Tuesday after leading the Spartans to a 29-20 victory over then-No. 13 Northwestern. The victory was Tucker’s second of his career at MSU, with both coming against highly ranked teams.
“Coach Tucker is already leaving his mark at Michigan State with two marquee wins during his first season,” Jim Terry, chairman of the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation, said in a press release. “Coach Dodd believed every game was important, but there’s no doubt that he would admire how Coach Tucker has been able to motivate his team against some of its toughest competition this season.”
Congrats Coach 👊 @Coach_mtucker | @thedoddtrophy pic.twitter.com/JFXT4ydenO
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) December 1, 2020
Senior linebacker Antjuan Simmons and senior kicker Matt Coghlin each received Big Ten Player of the Week honors on Monday, with Simmons being named Defensive Player of the Week and Coghlin named Co-Special Teams Player of the Week.
The Spartans return to the field on Saturday against No. 4 Ohio State. Kickoff from Spartan Stadium is scheduled for 12 p.m. EST and the game can be seen on ABC.
