Mel Tucker, New Colorado Head Coach

[carson]

The Buffaloes set out to find a defensive-minded head coach, and they landed one of the best in Mel Tucker.

Tucker officially accepted the job on Wednesday and announced that he will depart Georgia immediately and get started as new Buffs head man. "We're not going to settle," he told one Denver radio station in an interview.

Having been around Alabama and Georgia, Mel knows what it means to be a winning program. We don't expect him to turn water into wine, but I don't think it takes long for him to get the Buffs back into Pac 12 relevance. He's a top 15 recruiter and understands Colorado tradition.

"Colorado has always been a place that I thought should be relevant in the national championship conversation year-in and year-out, because of its tradition and a seemingly endless list of what the school has to offer," Tucker said. "What we have to offer are some of the best facilities in the country, strong academics, and an amazing environment as a whole. Colorado should be a 'no excuse' program. There's absolutely no reason we can't achieve success at an extremely high level.

"I can remember when Colorado was dominant with players like Kordell Stewart, Rashaan Salaam, Chris Hudson, Darian Hagan, Alfred Williams and others," Tucker continued. "Colorado always had difference makers and was very dynamic on both sides of the ball. That's the imprint instilled in my mind when it came to CU. My plan is to continue to restore that tradition and make sure that Colorado once again becomes an elite national program. There's not a better place in America to live, to coach and go to school."