Chris Tucker

• Article
• June 01, 2021

“You might not change the world, but you might spark the brain of the one who does.” The thought may be commonly cited to legendary musician Tupac Shakur, but Tennessee Tech football and men’s basketball player Jamaal Thompson repeated the mantra as he reflected on the events of the past year and pledged to carry on his efforts as his time in Cookeville at Tech continues for the near future, it echoed. Thompson, in just the last 15 months or so, made a tremendous impact on the Tennessee Tech campus, not just within athletics, trying to spread a message of equality and love for one another through as many avenues as he could.

• Article
• April 21, 2021

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – In the history of the Robert Hill Johnson Award, Tennessee Tech football’s highest honor, only a third have been defensive players. Fourteen of those have been linebackers – which isn’t a surprise considering the Golden Eagles have had some great ones over the years. From John Tanner in 1970 to Jim Youngblood in the historic 1972 campaign, Dana Winningham in 1973, Mark Shrum in 1977, Jeff Daughtry in 1984 and future astronaut and NCAA Theodore Roosevelt Award winner Barry Wilmore the next year, Mike Thornton in 1988, Fred Edgington in 1989, Marrio Thomas and Maurice Draine in 1992 and 1993, Sammy Sanders in 1997, Chad Evitts in 2000, Daniel Wentzel in 2002 and Tommy Harrison in 2004, there have been incredible ones to win the award. Among these players are Tech Sports Hall of Famers, Golden Eagles who have shaped the program over the years and setting the stage for the team now.

• Article
• April 15, 2021

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – With the 2020-21 Ohio Valley Conference football season drawing to a close, the league announced its postseason award winners on Thursday. Tennessee Tech came away with four awards as senior defensive end Chris Tucker made his second consecutive appearance on the All-OVC first-team roster, senior offensive guard Mike Rhoades made a back-to-back appearance on the second-team squad, redshirt junior safety Josh Reliford made his first all-OVC appearance on the second team, and freshman cornerback Jyron Gilmore was selected to the conference’s All-Newcomer team. The awards were voted on by the conference’s head football coaches and sports information contacts.

• Article
• March 12, 2021

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Dean Hood era at Murray State is off to a strong start. There’s no question about his ability to win in the Ohio Valley Conference – after all, he had plenty of success as the head coach at Eastern Kentucky. Now as the head jockey in the stable, Hood has the Racers storming out of the gate, picking up victories over UT Martin and Southeast Missouri to open the spring football slate. On Sunday, their focus is on Tennessee Tech.

• Article
• February 21, 2021

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Sunday was certainly worth the wait for the Tennessee Tech football team. It had been nearly 15 months since the last time the Golden Eagles took to the field, and while it took a little time to get the offense going in the 2020-21 season opener against Austin Peay, Tech certainly finished with a flourish. Trailing 14-3 midway through the third quarter, the Golden Eagles rifled off 24 straight points, then held on in a wild finish, knocking off defending Ohio Valley Conference champion Austin Peay 27-21 at Tucker Stadium on Sunday.

• Article
• February 18, 2021

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – It’s been a long wait for football season to arrive. Heck, the last game was in the previous decade. But on Sunday, football is back at Tucker Stadium, ending a nearly 15-month drought of gridiron action, as Tennessee Tech plays host to Austin Peay. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Roger Ealey will provide the radio call for 98.5 KISS FM, while Dylan Vazzano and Sam Brooks handle broadcast duties for ESPN+ (subscription required).

• Article
• July 24, 2020

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – As the prep work continues towards the 2020 football season, more outlets are releasing their preseason teams. On Friday, it was Phil Steele’s preseason All-Ohio Valley Conference list and Tennessee Tech came away with 12 selections on the three-team roster. Senior defensive lineman Chris Tucker and sophomore kick return specialist Metrius Fleming were first-team selections, while junior quarterback Bailey Fisher, senior offensive lineman Mike Rhoades, senior defensive lineman Henry Karimu and junior outside linebacker Tai Carter were on the second team. Fleming made a repeat performance on the third-team roster at wide receiver, joined by senior tight end Tavin Kilpatrick, senior defensive line Jale’n Gladney, junior linebacker Seth Carlisle, sophomore defensive back Cameron Hudson and senior punter Luke Maynard.

• Article
• July 20, 2020

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – After one of the best seasons in recent program history and putting together the second-best turnaround in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision, it isn’t surprising to see a few Tennessee Tech players on the Preseason All-Ohio Valley Conference team as the league released its 2020 preseason squad on Monday morning. The Golden Eagles garnered five preseason picks: junior quarterback Bailey Fisher and senior offensive lineman Mike Rhoades on offense, senior defensive end Chris Tucker and junior outside linebacker Tai Carter on defense and sophomore receiver/kick return specialist Metrius Fleming on special teams. The OVC preseason polls – both the media and coach/SID projections – will be announced at a later date.

• Article
• June 24, 2020

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – With just over two months before the scheduled start of the 2020 college football season, preseason polls and teams are starting to roll out. With HERO Sports’ selections on Tuesday night, the Tennessee Tech football team earned a pair of preseason all-Ohio Valley Conference picks as senior defensive lineman Chris Tucker and sophomore return specialist Metrius Fleming were on the website’s roster.