Colorado Football: How will Mel Tucker fare in Year 1 with Buffaloes?

Mel Tucker inherits an experienced team and hopes to re-establish mental toughness back into Colorado football after it ended 2018 on a losing streak.

Last season Colorado got off to a 5-0 start for the first time since 1998 and was ranked No. 19 in the AP Poll heading into game six at USC. However, the Buffaloes didn’t win another game for the remainder of the year and parted ways with Mike MacIntyre after six seasons.

The debacle was a black eye for the program and athletic director Rick George knew he needed to hire a coach who could bring about a culture change in Boulder. A defensive-minded individual who’s well respected amongst his peers and has a knack for recruiting.

Enter, Mel Tucker, the former Georgia defensive coordinator, with experience at both the collegiate and pro levels. Although Tucker has never been a head coach, he has worked under some of the best names in the game, including Nick Saban, Jim Tressel and Barry Alvarez.

The 47-year-old brings instant credibility to the Buffaloes along with a boost of momentum that the players needed to put last season in the rear view mirror. His predecessor MacIntyre didn’t leave the cupboard bare and Tucker is potentially walking into a great situation.

There’s plenty of talent remaining on the roster. Colorado has a senior quarterback who threw for nearly 3,000 yards last season. One of the best wide receivers in college football and two of the best defenders in the Pac-12.

Reaching bowl eligibility for the first time since 2016 is definitely attainable for the team. The players are hungry so there’s no telling how high their ceiling could potentially get.