Colorado unveils Mel Tucker as 26th head coach in program history

Colorado announced the hiring of former Georgia defensive coordinator Mel Tucker on Wednesday, and he becomes the 26th head coach in Buffaloes history.

Tucker assumes the role immediately and won't coach the Bulldogs in the Sugar Bowl. He made it clear in his introductory comments that he plans to turn Colorado into more than just a Pac-12 contender.

"Colorado has always been a place that I thought should be relevant in the national championship conversation year-in and year-out, because of its tradition and a seemingly endless list of what the school has to offer," he said.

"What we have to offer are some of the best facilities in the country, strong academics, and an amazing environment as a whole. Colorado should be a 'no excuse' program. There's absolutely no reason we can't achieve success at an extremely high level."

The Buffaloes won 30 games over the past six seasons under Mike MacIntyre, who was fired a week before the regular season ended.

Tucker spent two seasons coordinating Georgia's defense, and his unit ranked 13th in the FBS this year. The 46-year-old served as an interim head coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars for five games in 2011, marking his only other experience in that role.