A-State Football Names Tucker Wide Receivers Coach

Courtesy Arkansas State University Athletics Department

JONESBORO, Ark. (2/7/13) – First-year Arkansas State head football coach Bryan Harsin completed his coaching staff Thursday with the announcement that Anthony Tucker has been named the Red Wolves’ wide receivers coach.

Tucker comes to Arkansas State after spending the last two seasons at Idaho State, where he coached outside wide receivers for a squad that ranked among the top 10 in the nation in passing yards in back-to-back years. Led by All-America wide receiver Rodrick Rumble, the Bengals averaged 351.6 passing yards per game last season to rank fourth nationally, while the 2011 team held the nation’s ninth-best average at 300.6 yards per game.

The Tucker-coached Rumble was named to multiple All-America teams during his career, which he finished as Idaho State’s all-time leader in receptions (223) and receiving yards (2,863). Under Tucker’s direction, Rumble finished among the top-10 players in the nation in receptions and receiving yards as both a junior and senior.

Prior to joining Idaho State, Tucker served the 2010 season as Colorado’s Offensive Technical Assistant under then-head coach Dan Hawkins. He was part of Colorado’s staff that included current A-State assistant head coach Kent Riddle as well, and during his time with the Buffaloes he also worked briefly with current ASU assistant coach Brad Bedell and director of strength and conditioning Jeff Pitman.

Tucker went to Colorado after spending the 2006-09 seasons as Lakewood (Calif.) High School’s Passing Game Coordinator and Wide Receivers Coach. He also coached the wide receivers in the Best of the West Quarterback and Wide Receivers Skills Camp in 2008 and 2009 in Lakewood.

Tucker spent four seasons in the NFL, singing as a free agent with the New York Giants in 1999 and later earing a spot on the team’s practice squad in 2000. He was allocated to NFL Europe from the Giants in 2001 and played for the Amsterdam Admirals.  He signed with the St. Louis Rams in 2002 and then suffered a career-ending leg injury.

“Coach Tucker is another great addition to our coaching staff,” said Harsin. “The experience he brings as not only a proven wide receivers coach, but also an NFL-caliber player at the position will strengthen our offense and make him a great resource for our players. He has an extensive knowledge of the game and a solid background with several of our coaches already on staff, so he is a tremendous fit for our program.”

A three-year letterman at Fresno State, Tucker started at wide receiver his last two seasons with the Bulldogs. Tucker earned his bachelor of science degree in criminology in 1999 from Fresno State, where he was a WAC Scholar-Athlete, member of the dean’s list three times and earned President’s List honors one time for having a 4.0 GPA.

Tucker was a football and track and field star at Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos, Calif., under coach John Barnes, the winningest coach in Orange County history. Tucker helped his team complete a perfect 14-0 record his senior season in 1993 to win the school’s third straight CIF championship. He was a team captain on the track, where he participated in hurdles and sprinting events.

Harsin, named A-State’s head coach last December, has now filled his nine full-time assistant coaching positions. In addition to Tucker, the Red Wolves’ on-field coaching staff also includes Kent Riddle (Assistant HC/TE/Special Teams Coordinator), John Thompson (Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers), Blake Baker (safeties), Brad Bedell (offensive line), Julius Brown (cornerbacks), Steve Caldwell (defensive line), Eliah Drinkwitz (running backs) and Bush Hamdan (quarterbacks).

“I’m thrilled about this staff,” Harsin said. “They all bring outstanding coaching, recruiting and leadership abilities to our program, and they are all men of great character who will have a positive impact on our players’ lives off the field and in the classroom as well. We are excited about the players on our team and look forward to getting on the field this spring.”