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Mel Tucker welcomed by Michigan State football: 'This is the right time for me to be here'

EAST LANSING — Horns blared. Pom-poms shook. The introductory news conference for Michigan State football's new coach Mel Tucker doubled as a celebration.

During an event that lasted almost 45 minutes, Tucker explained his vision for the program he inherits from his retired predecessor, Mark Dantonio.

"We will play with great technique and fundamentals," he said. "We will play smart. And we won't beat ourselves. That's the goal."

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Tucker, who returns to East Lansing more than 20 years after he served as a grad assistant under former coach Nick Saban, called his new job a "dream come true.