Coaches Michigan State should consider after firing Mel Tucker

After firing Mel Tucker on Wednesday, Michigan State can finally put that $95M mistake behind it as it gathers intel on potential head- coaching candidates. Here are five names the Spartans should consider as their head coaching search picks up steam.

Ryan Grubb, Washington offensive coordinator: Arguably no offense is performing better through the first four weeks than Washington's, which should make Grubb an intriguing coach worth evaluating. The Huskies are first in the country in total offense (593.3 yards per game) and third in scoring (49.8 points per game). 

The Spartans, meanwhile, only have one top-10 scoring offense since 2000, when they averaged 43 points per game in 2014. Since then, Michigan State's average finish in scoring offense has been 92nd, averaging 24.7 points per game.

Matt House, LSU defensive coordinator: House is a Michigan State alum who began coaching as a graduate assistant under former Spartans head coach Bobby Williams. He's in his second year as LSU defensive coordinator after coaching linebackers for the Kansas City Chiefs from 2019-21. 

House would be the third-consecutive defensive hire as head coach, following Tucker and Mark Dantonio. He's one of the better options if Michigan State wants to go with a defensive-minded coach again.

Sean Lewis, Colorado offensive coordinator: Lewis will feature in most head coach candidate lists after spending the past five seasons as head coach at Kent State before signing on as offensive coordinator at Colorado. The Buffaloes offense is markedly better than last season, going from 15.4 points per game in 2022 to 32.5 points through four games this season. 

In five seasons at Kent State, Lewis was 21-31; in the five seasons preceding Lewis' arrival, the Golden Flashes were 14-45. Since 1988, Kent State only has three seasons with at least seven wins, and Lewis was responsible for two (2019, 2021). 

Bill O'Brien, New England Patriots offensive coordinator: If Michigan State wants to go with an established head coach, O'Brien should be a candidate. He took over at Penn State in 2012 after Joe Paterno's career ended in scandal and kept the program afloat for two seasons while it was under heavy sanctions before leaving for the NFL. 

O'Brien also won his only meeting against Michigan while Nittany Lions head coach, a 43-40 four-overtime thriller in 2013, which could give him extra points among Spartans officials.

David Shaw, former Stanford head coach: As an insider told ESPN's Adam Rittenberg, Michigan State will heavily vet its next head coach. The former 12-year Cardinal head coach Shaw is a high-character leader the university needs as it moves past Tucker's scandal.

Shaw was named to the NCAA Commission to Combat Campus Sexual Violence in 2016, the only college football head coach named to the committee. Brenda Tracy, the sexual assault prevention advocate who filed the Title IX claim against Tucker that led to his dismissal, was also named to the committee. Tracy spoke to the Stanford football team while Shaw was head coach in 2017.

In January 2018, Tracy applauded Shaw after the American Football Coaches Association invited him to speak at its annual conference, backtracking its initial invitation to disgraced former Baylor head coach Art Briles.