Indianapolis — Mel Tucker isn’t looking for a free pass.
He’d likely be given one considering his first season as Michigan State’s coach was a difficult one.
Getting hired after national signing day, having off-season workouts and spring football shut down because of COVID-19 while preseason practice was cut short by the pandemic was difficult, to be sure. It all led to a 2-5 mark in Tucker’s first year after replacing Mark Dantonio.
But entering 2021, Tucker doesn’t want anyone making excuses.
“People tell me, ‘Coach, for you this is really like year one,’” Tucker said Friday during Big Ten Media Days at Lucas Oil Stadium.