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Michigan State football's Mel Tucker finalist for AFCA national coach of year

Michigan State football’s Mel Tucker was named the Division I Region 3 Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association on Monday.

That means the Spartans’ second-year leader is one of five finalists for the national coach of the year award that will be presented Jan. 9 at the AFCA annual convention in San Antonio, Texas. The others are Cincinnati’s Luke Fickell, Arkansas’ Sam Pittman, Texas-San Antonio’s Jeff Traylor and Utah State’s Blake Anderson.

Tucker, named Big Ten Coach of the Year by both the league’s coaches and media last Tuesday, guided a major turnaround and has No.