MSU has suspended Mel Tucker and named Harlon Barnett acting head coach
This story has since been updated to reflect the interim coaching news and other details regarding Mel Tucker's suspension since its original publication.
Following the publication by USA Today of the details being alleged against head football coach Mel Tucker in a sexual harassment investigation filed against him, Michigan State vice president and athletic director Alan Haller announced Sunday afternoon that Tucker has been suspended as the university's head football coach without pay while awaiting a final hearing on the investigation's results scheduled for early October.
Haller also announced that secondary coach Harlon Barnett has been named the acting coach with former head coach Mark Dantonio named associate head coach to assist him.
Mel Tucker's trajectory with Michigan State entering just his fourth season in East Lansing has been one of meteoric rise and swift fall from grace. Hired in 2020 after the second signing period and just weeks before the coronavirus pandemic shut down the country for several months, Tucker had essentially no time to build his own roster for his first season, or to even gauge the roster he inherited ahead of a shortened first season with limited practices adhering to COVID-19 protocols.
Following a 2-5 inaugural campaign that saw multiple blowout losses in between wins over No. 13 Michigan and No. 11 Northwestern in 2020, Tucker posted a 11-2 season in 2021 that helped propel him to one of the most lucrative coaching contracts in the industry. Presumed a target of several prominent football programs needing to fill job openings that cycle, Tucker was given a $95 million guaranteed contract for the next 10 years in order to prevent his departure from MSU.
Then an injury plagued season in 2022 combined with questionable in-game coaching decisions left fans angry at a 5-7 record last fall. That seemingly left Tucker in the conversation just a month ago as to what his team needed to do this fall to avoid entering the 2024 season on the hot seat in an expanded Big Ten Conference.
Now after starting the 2023 season with a 2-0 record, the previously unavailable lewd details of the accusations made against Tucker in an ongoing Title IX sexual harassment investigation have finally become public. It is likely that not even Haller had access to the level of details in the allegation made against Tucker due to the strict rules around Title IX investigations that are designed to protect an accuser's and accused's rights while the investigative process is completed. Currently, a final hearing is scheduled for Tucker's case the week of Oct. 5 when the team has a bye week.
Tucker's contract currently has $70 million remaining in guaranteed salary, but the contract does have a clause regarding Tucker's conduct. That clause requires Tucker to not engage in: “any conduct which constitutes moral turpitude or which, in the University’s reasonable judgment, would tend to bring public disrespect, contempt, or ridicule upon the University.” A violation of that clause would result in the school having cause to fire him without paying the guaranteed remainder on his salary.
Currently, Tucker will be suspended without pay pending the outcome of that final hearing that will render a final decision. More will be known about his status as the head football coach then. Regardless of the result, the meteoric rise and incredible fall by Tucker has been remarkable.
Harlon Barnett named acting head coach and Mark Dantonio rejoining staff as associate head coach
In his 15th season overall on the Spartan defensive staff, Barnett returned to East Lansing in 2020 after two seasons as the defensive coordinate at Florida State. He spent 11 seasons under Mark Dantonio as the secondary coach at MSU from 2007-2017, including three seasons as the co-defensive coordinator from 2015-2017, and is a former Spartan who started for three years under George Perles.
Upon his return to East Lansing, Barnett coached the cornerbacks in 2020 before taking over the entire secondary room in 2021 to present under Tucker.
Mark Dantonio was the head coach of Michigan State football from 2007 until Feb. 4, 2020 when he announced his retirement abruptly just days ahead of the late signing period. DAntoinio became the winningest head coach in MSU football history with a career 114-57 record at the helm and 132-74 as a head coach at the collegiate level.
During his tenure, Dantonio won three Big Ten championships, won six bowl games in 12 appearances, boasted a .639 win percentage in conference play, finished in the AP Top 25 seven times, and had 21 victories of AP Top 25 opponents.
Since announcing his retirement as coach, Dantonio has remained in East Lansing working for the athletic department in an advisory and mentoring role.
Michigan State will host No. 8 Washington on Saturday, Sept. 16 at Spartan Stadium. The game will be streamed exclusively on Peacock.