April 3, 2008
CLEVELAND HEIGHTS , OH – Cleveland Heights and University Heights residents will have even more reason to cheer for the Cleveland Browns next season. The Browns announced in December that Heights High graduate Mel Tucker will serve as Defensive Coordinator for the team. Tucker has spent the last three seasons as the Browns defensive backs coach.

“Getting an opportunity like this, right here in my hometown, is incredible. I grew up as a Browns fan and this is one of those things that you only dream about,” Tucker said. “I’m looking forward to the challenges ahead, and I’m confident with hard work we can have one of the strongest defenses in the league.

We have a great group of players on this team and my familiarity with them will be an asset.”

Tucker, 36, was born in Cleveland and attended Cleveland Heights High School before going on to become a four-year letterman in football at Wisconsin.

“To be able to coach for the Browns has been a life-long goal for me, and that goal began when I was a student at Heights High. My education in the Cleveland Heights - University Heights School District laid the groundwork for the success I have had. I look forward to making the Heights community proud next season, and I can’t wait to attend a Tigers game once again.”

Tucker previously served as defensive backs coach and co-defensive coordinator for Ohio State University for four seasons (2001-04) and also spent one year as the defensive backs coach at Louisiana State University for the 2000 season. Tucker began coaching as a graduate assistant at Michigan State in 1997 before taking the defensive backs coach position at Miami (Ohio) University in 1999.