Alan Haller, the director of athletics at the school, confirmed to the media that Tucker would serve his suspension without pay while the inquiry is ongoing.
Harlon Barnett, the team’s co-defensive coordinator, will take over as interim head coach of the Spartans. In contrast, Mark Dantonio, the team’s previous head coach, will rejoin the staff in the role of associate coach.
On Sunday afternoon, word began to spread that Michigan State was likely to dismiss Tucker, but the university would only make the decision public once the investigation had been completed.
According to The Athletic, Tucker had not been dismissed at this point and was instead placed on administrative leave with pay.
“Upon receiving the reports from the claimant regarding Mel Tucker, MSU’s office of civil rights immediately commenced a review and subsequent investigation per university protocol, using an outside third party investigator,” Haller stated during the news conference.
“Upon receiving the reports from the claimant regarding Mel Tucker, MSU’s office of civil rights immediately began a review and subsequent investigation.”
“Towards the end of December, I was aware of the report. The independent investigator finished their investigation and turned in their investigative report on July 25.
The report included a recommendation for a formal hearing, which is scheduled to take place the week of October 5.”
On Sunday morning, word of the probe and the claims became public, and by the afternoon, there were indications that Tucker had been suspended and that his termination was imminent.
According to USA Today, sexual assault prevention advocate Brenda Tracy claims that Tucker masturbated in front of her without her permission during a phone conversation, gave her presents, and asked if she would date him if he were single. She also claims that Tucker asked her if she would date him if he were single.
Tracy is a well-known rape victim who now works to teach athletes about the dangers of sexual assault. Between 2021 and 2022, Tucker brought Tracy to the school to talk to the squad on three occasions.
In addition, Tracy was honoured by Tucker as an honorary captain for a spring football game. Tucker is the one who has been vocal about fighting against a culture of sexual abuse in sports.
Over eight months, the two worked together to create a professional connection until Tracy claimed that a phone conversation on April 28, 2022, disclosed Tucker’s intentions.
According to the complaint that was received by USA Today, Tracy remained still for many minutes as Tucker masturbated in front of her and made sexual remarks to her.
The claimed encounter triggered Tracy’s past traumatic experiences, which date back to 1998 when she was raped by four men, including three football players at Oregon State University and a high school recruit.
“The idea that someone could know me and say they understand my trauma but then re-inflict that trauma on me is so disgusting to me, it’s hard for me to even wrap my mind around it,” Tracy said in an interview with USA Today.
“The idea that someone could know me and say they understand my trauma and then re-inflict that trauma on me is so disgusting to me.” “It’s almost as if he sought me out in order to deceive me.”
Tucker has acknowledged masturbating during the conversation; however, he disagrees with how Tracy has characterized the encounter and asserts that it was voluntary.
“Ms. Tracy’s distortion of our mutually consensual and intimate relationship into allegations of sexual exploitation has really affected me,” Tucker said in a letter dated March 22 to the investigator, as reported by the publication.
“I am not proud of my judgment, and it is difficult for me to forgive myself for getting myself into this situation, but by no stretch of the imagination did I engage in any kind of misconduct,” the speaker said.
Tucker was in the third year of a 10-year contract worth $95 million.
After defeating Richmond by a score of 45-14 on Saturday, Michigan State improved to 2-0 on the season.
