Pasadena City College

A success story at virtually every place he has worked, Robert Tucker has set a standard of excellence at Pasadena City College in his five seasons in charge of the Lancers football program.

Last year, Tucker guided Pasadena to a return to upper National Division play, resulting in a state #17 final ranking, a 6-5 winning season and a victory in the Golden State Bowl over Citrus. Running back Noah Triplett, the MVP of the bowl title game, led the nation in all-purpose yardage for players that earned yards in rushing, receiving, kick and punt returns. Triplett was named All-American.

In 2024, Tucker coached PCC to an undefeated 11-0 record, the first perfect season by the college since 1953. The Lancers won their third league championship under his watch and first SCFA American Division crown, defeating Chaffey, 23-14. Tucker directed Pacific League Offensive MVP and All-American running back Micah Mendoza and earned State Region IV Coach of the Year for the second time (the other in 2021).

In 2023, he directed the Lancers to a 9-2 season and the American Pacific League crown behind the play of All-State/All-Americans in kicker Justin Vergara and APL Defensive MVP and cornerback Idrique Carmichael. Vergara set a school record for most field goals in a game with four in PCC's loss to Chaffey in the American Bowl.

In 2022, the Lancers battled through injuries to key players, including their top two quarterbacks, and finished 5-5 overall. The Lancers still placed five players on the All-State Team in defensive end Michelangelo Loretto, defensive tackle Carlos Ramirez, safety Osvaldo Raigosa, all-purpose WR/RET Ivan Ostry, and offensive lineman Guadalupe Cedillo.

Hired on June 16, 2021 to become the 27th head football coach in the now 100-year history of PCC on the gridiron, Tucker guided the 2021 Lancers to the program's first conference title--SCFA American Mountain League--in 20 years and first bowl championship, the SoCal Bowl, in 13 seasons. The team's nine victories (9-2 record) were the most since 2001.

Tucker brought Pasadena back to success but also doing so after returning the program back to Robinson Stadium from a one-year dormant period due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He guided the season of All-American linebacker Lucio Rodriguez, who was named Region IV State Defensive Player of the Year as well as SCFA AML Defensive Player of the Year. Tucker helped with the development of 2-time, All-State defensive back Kaydon Spens, and other All-State selections in quarterback Kade Wentz, linebacker Jordan Monroe, and offensive lineman Edward Aranda Calixto. Seventeen of his Lancers were named All-AML First And Second Team.

Tucker has already sent 63 Lancers to the next level, including 21 NCAA Division I scholarship athletes from the 2022-2024 classes. In '24 alone, 23 of the team's players earned scholarships, 11 to D1 universities.

Tucker showed he had the Midas touch at first West Hills College Coalinga in 2014, then at Los Angeles Valley College in 2015-2016.

Tucker's success at the California Community College level, compiling an impressive 64-12 overall record and bowl apperances in six of his seven seasons, has made him a commodity at PCC.

In 2014, he took over a West Hills program that was 2-8 the previous season and proceeded to coach the Falcons to the best record in WHC's history at 10-1, a co-Golden Coast League title, and allowing the Falcons to host their first bowl game in 32 years. West Hills and Tucker capped the year by capturing the NCFC American Division Bowl championship in a 24-14 victory over Yuba. Tucker was named GCL Co-Coach of the Year.

In 2015, Tucker decided to move on to accept the head coaching job at LA Valley College. Again, Tucker took over a losing program, one that had finished 3-7 and tied for last-place in the 8-team, SCFA American Pacific League in 2014. The coach directed yet another amazing turnaround in 2015 as the Monarchs went 9-2, placed second in the APL with a 6-1 conference record and then another bowl victory--a 42-27 triumph over San Bernardino Valley in the Golden State Bowl played at LAVC. That ended a 19-year bowl win drought for LA Valley.

In 2016, Tucker guided one of the greatest seasons in LAVC history as his team posted the school's first perfect record of 11-0 in winning the American Pacific crown. The Monarchs were the only undefeated team in the state that year and they capped an extraordinary season by winning the American Division Championship, defeating Southwestern, 24-16. Tucker was named APL Coach of the Year and CCCFCA Region IV Coach of the Year.

He has coached at every level of college athletics, serving on football staffs going back 25 years. In August, 2020, Tucker returned to his playing college as defensive coordinator/director of football operations for D3 Williamette University in Salem, Oregon but the COVID-19 pandemic cancelled its season. An opportunity to be a head coach again prompted Tucker to apply at PCC.

Tucker talked about what brought him back to the community college level. "I was very attracted to the leadership and commitment to establishing a premier program at PCC," he said. "The outstanding dedication to student-success combined with a great tradition, excellent athletic facilities, beautiful campus, and plethora of local talent presents a unique opportunity to consistently build champions on and off the field."

The veteran coach was clear on his initial goals with the Lancers program.

"The priority is to attract quality assistant coaches who are committed to the retention, graduation, and transfer of the extremely resilient players on this team," Tucker said. "The long-term goal is to build a consistent competitive program that develops our student-athletes personally, academically, and athletically. Ultimately, we will be striving for 100 percent of our players to complete their 4-year degree and launch into the workforce with an education and skill set that results in a fulfilling and profitable career."

Prior to PCC, Tucker moved an impressive list of more than 90 players to the 4-year university level, including half earning scholarships to NCAA Division I-FBS or FCS colleges.

Tucker had a tremendous 3-year stint as a defensive coordinator at UC Davis from 2017-2019. He coached an Aggies' defense that set eight school records, including season records for turnovers created, interceptions, tackles for loss, passes defended, and sacks. In 2018, UC Davis earned its best record in school history at 10-3, including winning the Big Sky Conference title while achieving a #7 national ranking in NCAA Division I FCS. UCD was 3-8 the season prior to Tucker's arrival and the program went 20-15 in his three seasons as DC.

He played football at Willamette from 1993 through 1996, where he later started his coaching career as an assistant defensive line coach for the Bearcats in 1997 and then Willamette's defensive backs coach in 1998.

After serving as a teamwork coordinator at the University of Oregon in 1999, Tucker became safeties coach and recruiting coordinator for NCAA Division I FBS Boise State from 2000-2005. At Boise, his teams compiled an outstanding record of 63-13 and won five Western Athletic Conference titles. Tucker guided the development of future NFL players in Quintin Mikell (Carolina Panthers), Chris Carr (New Orleans Saints) and 2010 NFL first round draft pick Kyle Wilson (New York Jets).

He moved on to become director of operations and recruiting coordinator at U. Colorado (NCAA Division I FBS) from 2006-2010. He held the position of assistant head coach at NAIA University of Sioux Falls (South Dakota) in 2010-2013. Sioux Falls advanced to the NAIA Championship Game with a 13-1 record his first season there and he later served as defensive coordinator when the school transitioned to a NCAA Division II program.

Internationally, Tucker was head coach and defensive coordinator for Les Molosses D'Asnieres, a top division French team in Paris, in 1998 and 1999. The Molosses reached the national finals in 1999. He finished with an 18-7-1 overall in his two seasons abroad. In 2015, he served as Team USA defensive coordinator as the American squad captured the gold medal at the IFAF World Championships.

While competing for the Bearcats, Tucker saw action as a safety and outside linebacker. He was named a CFA Academic All-Star in 1995 and chosen First Team All-Northwest Conference of Independent College (NCIC) as well as a NAIA honorable mention All-American as a free safety in 1996.

A Northern California native, he attended Grant Union High in Sacramento from 1989-'93, competing in the Optimist All-Star football and baseball games as a senior. He was also selected team captain in 1992, the year Grant won its first San Joaquin Section championship.

Tucker earned a bachelor's degree in psychology at Willamette (1997) and later finished his master's in physical education/athletic administration at Idaho State (2001).

Tucker is married to wife Oriana, and the couple has three children in Avery, Amelia, and Alexis.

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