Michigan State football coach Mel Tucker has added more to his growing staff, this time in the form of his seventh assistant coach Ted Gilmore and and three directors to the non-coaching staff.
Ted Gilmore — tight ends coach
Mel Tucker adds Ted Gilmore as tight ends coach, three directors to his staff
Tucker continues his busy start as head coach with another four additions to his staff
February 21, 2020
Harris was a senior captain and third team All-Big Ten selection last season, recording 90 tackles this past year, nine of them for a loss. Harris is one of the strongest players in all of college football, as he can bench press almost twice his weight. Harris excels in tackling in space and run stopping, but struggles in pass coverage. His strength might get him drafted, but it would still be in a later round.
Gilmore has been at Wisconsin since 2015 as a wide receiver coach and in the last three seasons has added the duties of offensive pass game coordinator. It was announced via Michigan State football's twitter that he would be joining the Spartans and switching over to tight ends coach.
The newest addition to Tucker's assistants has Big Ten experience. Before the Badgers, Gilmore has coached for Purdue and Nebraska, as well as Colorado, Kansas, Houston, Wyoming and USC.
In 2011, Gilmore won Wide Receiver Coach of the Year while at USC.
His 18-plus years in college football is accented by a three-year stint as the wide receiver coach for the Oakland Raiders in the NFL.
Mel Tucker responded to the signing on Twitter.
"Coach Gilmore is a true difference maker. A proven leader, developer of players, impactful recruiter and high energy!"
Additional staff hirings
Tucker also announced the addition of three directors to his staff.
Geoffrey Martzen is another addition that has followed Tucker from Colorado. Martzen spent one season as the Director of Player Personnel for the Buffs and was appointed by Tucker there after he held the same position at UCLA.
Martzen will retain the position of Director of Player Personnel for Tucker's staff at Michigan State.
Cody Cox was retained from Mark Dantonio's staff as the Director of Football Operations. Cox has handled the day-to-day football related activities under Dantonio for the past three years.
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The final add to the staff was a former Spartan linebacker from the class of 2015. Darien Harris will rejoin the Spartans as the Director of Player Engagement, after he spent a season with the Bengals in the NFL and time in the CFL.
"Home is where the heart is," Harris said on Twitter in response to the hire.
Harris has stayed close to the program and Michigan State University since his time on the team. The linebacker achieved another degree in 2019 and most recently delivered a speech for the Spartans prior to their Pinstripe Bowl Victory in December 2019.
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