MSU’s Mel Tucker on Whining About Refs: ‘That’s Not Part of Our Culture’

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh has been in the news as of late, as he continues to assert that officials made a mistake when they overturned Aidan Hutchinson’s fumble recovery touchdown against the Spartans during the Oct. 30 game.

Now, Mel Tucker is speaking out. The Michigan State head coach says he doesn't dwell on so-called bad calls made by officials.

"I don't like to talk about calls, bad calls, things like that," Tucker stated during his weekly press conference. "That's not part of our culture," he added. "We don't like to make excuses about anything. I think that makes your program soft, I think it gives your coaches and your players a way out, and so I really don't like to even talk about it that much."

Tucker's reply was in response to a question about a call on Simeon Barrow during the Spartans' recent Purdue game. Tucker said the Spartans submitted that call, along with others, to the Big Ten for feedback from the officiating office.

"I'll hold my comments until I get that (response) back," he said. "They may have some information that might enlighten me or might be able to help us coach the guys better. We do turn (plays) in, because we need clarification, and if I disagree with something, I'll tell them and we move on, because they're not going to change the outcome."