EAST LANSING, Mich — USA Today released a report early Sunday morning stating Michigan State football coach Mel Tucker is under an ongoing sexual harassment investigation. Sunday evening at 5 p.m. the school held a press conference where they announced Tucker has been suspended without pay.
In Tucker's absence, Harlon Barnett will serve as the team's acting head coach. Mark Dantonio will become an associate head coach.
"Both men have a deep love and care for Michigan State football, Spartan athletics, the university and the East Lansing community," said Vice President/Director of Athletics Alan Haller.
Tucker is being accused by Brenda Tracy, a prominent rape survivor and activist who works to educate male athletes about sexual misconduct.
Tracy became friends with Tucker over her advocacy work, but that relationship took a turn in April 2022, when Tucker allegedly masturbated during a phone call with her, according to USA Today.
“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 told the newspaper. “It’s like he sought me out just to betray me."
Tucker acknowledged to investigators last spring that he masturbated during the phone call with Tracy, but he said they had consensual “phone sex."
“Ms. Tracy’s distortion of our mutually consensual and intimate relationship into allegations of sexual exploitation has really affected me,” Tucker wrote in a March 22 letter to the Title IX investigator. “I am not proud of my judgment and I am having difficulty forgiving myself for getting into this situation, but I did not engage in misconduct by any definition.”
Michigan State may fire Tucker for cause if he “engages in any conduct which constitutes moral turpitude or which, in the University's sole judgement, would tend to bring public disrespect, contempt or ridicule upon the university,” according to his contract. The school may also suspend Tucker, without pay, if he “materially breaches" his contract.
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