- Update: On Wednesday, Michigan state sent a termination letter to now-former head coach Mel Tucker notifying him that he has indeeed been fired. This comes after Tucker was suspended without pay earlier in September after an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment.
It was reported earlier in September that Michigan State head football coach Mel Tucker was under investigation for allegations of sexual harassment.
It did not take the Spartans long to make a decision on his future. Shortly after suspending Tucker without pay, the Spartans have notified the head coach that they intend to fire him “for cause,” which means that he won’t receive the remainder of the 10-year, $95 million the soon-to-be-former Michigan State head coach signed.
“The notice provides Tucker with seven calendar days to respond and present reasons to me and the interim president as to why he should not be terminated for cause,” Michigan State Athletic Director Alan Haller said in a statement sent by the school.
Tucker’s contract with Michigan State is said to be fully guaranteed. However, there is a clause that lets the program out of it should Tucker engage in conduct that is detrimental to the university. It stands to reason that these allegations would fall under the guise should they be proven.
Mel Tucker firing and investigation
The Spartans’ investigation into allegations against Tucker started earlier this year. Kenny Jacoby of USA Today reported that Tucker’s accuser is Brenda Tracy. She is an anti-rape activist who has dedicated her life advocating for sexual assault victims.
Tracy filed a complaint against Tucker to Michigan State back in December in which she accused Mel Tucker of making sexual comments to her and masturbating without her consent during a phone call. For his part, Tucker continues to deny the allegations.
“Even the investigator hired by the University found that we had a ‘personal relationship’ and that we shared ‘deeply personal and private information with each other,’ ” Mel Tucker said in a statement. “Ms. Tracy encouraged our personal relationship by inviting and accepting gifts from me. During the investigation, Ms. Tracy admitted requesting and accepting my gift of expensive athletic shoes, a $200 Venmo payment and a personal contribution to her non-profit.”
Tucker, 51, took over for Mark Dantonio as Michigan State’s head coach back in 2020. He led the team to a 25-21 record, including a 2-0 mark this season before being suspended.