First-year Colorado coach Mel Tucker is taking advantage of his time in the desert. And he's doing it in comfort. Tucker, a career coordinator coaching just his fourth game as the top man for the Buffaloes on Saturday against No. 24 Arizona State, was spotted on the sidelines looking the part of a coach: headset, play sheet, the works. And oh, along with all of that, shorts and an un-tucked polo shirt.
Shorts!
This isn't your typical coaching get-up. Most stay comfortable, sure. A sweatshirt, jeans, tennis shoes, maybe a beanie if weather permits. But shorts? That's a new trail he's blazing. So new and so bold, in fact, that people are absolutely digging the vibe.
Mel Tucker coaching in shorts is a good start. pic.twitter.com/sFlgkpxajx
— Yahoo Sports College Football (@YahooSportsCFB) September 22, 2019
Mel Tucker wearing shorts and an untucked golf polo is my coaching spirit animal.
— DC (@davecreagh) September 22, 2019
Mel Tucker wearing shorts is some sort of power move. #PAC12AfterDark
— Pacduneslooper (@Pacduneslooper) September 22, 2019
Mel Tucker the GOAT pic.twitter.com/d86k4qfXHX
— Michael Felder (@InTheBleachers) September 22, 2019
Can we talk about Mel Tucker WEARING SHORTS?!! That man doesn’t care what you think!! 😂😂#gobuffs
— Eric Doran (@doran_eric) September 22, 2019
Of course, not everyone was a fan of the move. As one fan expressed, the shorts power move would be a lot better if they didn't have to remember the Tucker era with the Bears where he coached from 2013-14 as the team's defensive coordinator.
Mel Tucker coaching in shorts tonight would be a lot more awesome if we could all pretend his tenure as the Bears defensive coordinator never happened.
— Walker Carey (@walkerRcarey) September 22, 2019
The objective of new coaches taking over floundering program seems to always be to reset the culture, so credit Tucker here. Colorado has endured a tough spell over the past decade with nine of the last seasons ending in losing records, so any way you can shake things up -- even if it's by wearing shorts instead of jeans -- is a win in that pursuit if only to do things a little differently.