Mel Tucker is bringing an experienced defensive assistant to join his Michigan State staff. Jim Salgado is the Spartans’ new cornerbacks coach, the program announced Thursday.

Salgado has nearly 30 years of coaching experience. He was in the college ranks for 23 seasons before spending the past 6 seasons with the Buffalo Bills. Salgado was a Bills defensive assistant from 2017-19 before a promotion to nickelbacks coach in 2020 and a move to safeties in 2022.

Tucker is excited about what Salgado brings to East Lansing. Salgado will work with defensive backs coach Harlon Barnett.

“Jim Salgado is an excellent, experienced football coach,” Tucker said, via an MSU release. “I’m really impressed with his football knowledge. He comes highly recommended from one of my mentors, Leslie Frazier, and together they coached some of the top defenses in the NFL at Buffalo (No. 2 in team defense in 2018, No. 3 in 2019, No. 1 in 2021, No. 6 in 2022). Jim also has coordinator experience at the collegiate level, and really made a difference at Princeton, helping that program to two league titles. He has really good connections and can recruit nationally. He also has a great relationship with Harlon Barnett, so I’m excited to see them work together in the secondary.”

Salgado brings MSU back up to a full 10 on-field assistants. The Spartans had a staff opening after the departure of pass rush specialist Brandon Jordan.

Salgado last coached in college at Princeton in the 2016 season. He has Power 5 experience as Syracuse’s secondary coach from 2005-08.