Below is an email I sent to Tuke on 12/21/10 and his response sent 1/2/11. Good luck to Tuke, gonna miss you.

Coach Tuke,

I must say for the first time all season I had low expectations for a NIU football game. The circumstances being what they were I did not think the team would be focused enough to win. Well?I was wrong..way wrong. You did one hell of a job with that team. They played inspired football for 60 minutes in all phases. Certainly you deserve much of the credit.

I love your enthusiasm and clearly you have the respect and admiration of that entire team(as well as us fans and alumni). It was a joy to listen to your interviews, you were clearly having a great time..as was the team.

I have no doubt that you will one day soon realize your dream of becoming a head coach. Until that time, I and many others are glad you have remained with the Huskies!!

Have a great holiday season! Go Huskies!!


Bob -

I apologize for the slow response. Our schedules have been crazy.

Thank you for your kind words and support. We had the time of our lives and loved every minute of the Humanitarian Bowl experience. It was great to see the kids get that victory!

Thanks again for your support and encouragement.

Coach Tuke

We are! Rockets! We are! Rockets! We are! Rockets!

Rumor has it that our new head coach (former offensive coordinator) took less pay in order to have more money in the pot for the assistants. He wanted to do this in order to help retain coaches so Tim Beckman didnt take them all to Illinois. It turns out that Beckman only got three. Beckman hired every single ones of those guys when he came to Toledo. So your guy probably got a nice raise and a promotion too.

I don't know how anyone can be upset he went to Toledo. Its a big promotion.. he'd be a fool to turn that job down. Unless we offered him the DC job here & he turned us down and went there, I don't get why anyone is offended by him leaving.

He isn't the DC. He's the co-DC. It's not a "big promotion" it's a minor one.

(01-17-2012 04:49 PM)HuskieFan84 Wrote:  I don't know how anyone can be upset he went to Toledo. Its a big promotion.. he'd be a fool to turn that job down. Unless we offered him the DC job here & he turned us down and went there, I don't get why anyone is offended by him leaving.

I'm not sure anyone besides 7 is.

I will remember Tuke fondly for rallying the Huskies and lifting them up in what could have been a disastrous situation after Kill tried to ruin the end of our 2010 season. Tuke tuke the team on his shoulders and carried them to a bowl victory with his energy, optimism, and intensity. It was awesome watching him and the Huskies at the Humanitarian Bowl last year. What a great story that was. I think we should all be grateful to him for what he did.

(01-17-2012 04:49 PM)HuskieFan84 Wrote:  I don't know how anyone can be upset he went to Toledo. Its a big promotion.. he'd be a fool to turn that job down. Unless we offered him the DC job here & he turned us down and went there, I don't get why anyone is offended by him leaving.

Just upset that it's TOLEDO. He's gone over to the dark side.

(01-17-2012 04:52 PM)7 Wrote:  He isn't the DC. He's the co-DC. It's not a "big promotion" it's a minor one.

What's the pay difference / what are his responsibilties.. is he the one calling the plays? What does co-DC imply? I think its safe to assume he's not leaving a young & improving defense unless he has a good reason.

(01-17-2012 05:32 PM)HuskieFan84 Wrote:  

(01-17-2012 04:52 PM)7 Wrote:  He isn't the DC. He's the co-DC. It's not a "big promotion" it's a minor one.

What's the pay difference / what are his responsibilties.. is he the one calling the plays? What does co-DC imply? I think its safe to assume he's not leaving a young & improving defense unless he has a good reason.

Maybe he felt sorry for Toledo's defense last year.

(01-17-2012 05:09 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(01-17-2012 04:49 PM)HuskieFan84 Wrote:  I don't know how anyone can be upset he went to Toledo. Its a big promotion.. he'd be a fool to turn that job down. Unless we offered him the DC job here & he turned us down and went there, I don't get why anyone is offended by him leaving.

Just upset that it's TOLEDO. He's gone over to the dark side.

THE DARK SIDE!!!!

Tuke I am your father....

Time for a new signature....

(01-17-2012 05:35 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(01-17-2012 05:32 PM)HuskieFan84 Wrote:  

(01-17-2012 04:52 PM)7 Wrote:  He isn't the DC. He's the co-DC. It's not a "big promotion" it's a minor one.

What's the pay difference / what are his responsibilties.. is he the one calling the plays? What does co-DC imply? I think its safe to assume he's not leaving a young & improving defense unless he has a good reason.

Maybe he felt sorry for Toledo's defense last year.

Maybe he's doing it for the challenge - kind of like climbing Mt. Everest.

btw Has this been announced yet?

(01-18-2012 08:24 AM)sarasotahuskie Wrote:  

(01-17-2012 05:35 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(01-17-2012 05:32 PM)HuskieFan84 Wrote:  

(01-17-2012 04:52 PM)7 Wrote:  He isn't the DC. He's the co-DC. It's not a "big promotion" it's a minor one.

What's the pay difference / what are his responsibilties.. is he the one calling the plays? What does co-DC imply? I think its safe to assume he's not leaving a young & improving defense unless he has a good reason.

Maybe he felt sorry for Toledo's defense last year.

Maybe he's doing it for the challenge - kind of like climbing Mt. Everest.

btw Has this been announced yet?

no

It could all be my fault, fellas. After the stunning Humanitarian Bowl victory, I mailed Tuke a congratulatory letter. As fate would have it, I accidentally dropped it in a pile of dog crap on the way to the mailbox. The post office sent the letter to Toledo to be cancelled because Toledo has great experience in dealing with all kinds of crap. Tuke must have seen the postmark and was impressed that someone from Toledo would be congratulating him. Now, he moves to Toledo. Maybe he's just impressed with crap.

(01-17-2012 05:03 PM)badmoonrising_13 Wrote:  I will remember Tuke fondly for rallying the Huskies and lifting them up in what could have been a disastrous situation after Kill tried to ruin the end of our 2010 season. Tuke tuke the team on his shoulders and carried them to a bowl victory with his energy, optimism, and intensity. It was awesome watching him and the Huskies at the Humanitarian Bowl last year. What a great story that was. I think we should all be grateful to him for what he did.

Cant say it any better. Good luck to him. Total class guy.

(01-19-2012 10:26 PM)pjfleck82 Wrote:  

(01-17-2012 05:03 PM)badmoonrising_13 Wrote:  I will remember Tuke fondly for rallying the Huskies and lifting them up in what could have been a disastrous situation after Kill tried to ruin the end of our 2010 season. Tuke tuke the team on his shoulders and carried them to a bowl victory with his energy, optimism, and intensity. It was awesome watching him and the Huskies at the Humanitarian Bowl last year. What a great story that was. I think we should all be grateful to him for what he did.

Cant say it any better. Good luck to him. Total class guy.

Yep, best of luck during BASKETBALL SEASON.