Pete Thamel: Michigan State expected to formally fire Mel Tucker on Wednesday
Michigan State is reportedly set to fire Mel Tucker Wednesday after informing the Spartans’ head coach of the decision last week, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
“Source: Michigan State is expected to formally fire Mel Tucker for cause today,” Thamel wrote on Twitter. “The school had informed him that they intended to fire him for cause him last week.”
Tucker was accused of sexual harassment which led to a suspension and ultimately his firing from the program.
A report from USA Today identified the sexual harassment complainant was high-profile anti-sexual violence advocate and rape survivor Brenda Tracy, who has made a career of speaking primarily to college-aged athletes.
Tracy alleged in a Title IX complaint — which is being handled by lawyers hired by the university — that Tucker repeatedly made sexual comments and masturbated during a phone call on April 28, 2022. A report that resulted from that investigation was delivered to the university in July.
Tucker signed a historic contract extension signed in 2021, when he signed a 10-year, $95 million extension.
Since the 11-2 season led by Tucker in 2021, Michigan State struggled in 2022 with a 5-7 record and missed the postseason and Tucker was considered being under pressure this fall.
Previously, Tucker called the school’s termination decision a “miscarriage of justice.”
Tucker provided a lengthy statement about the university’s plans, which were announced Monday. He reiterated his stance that the sexual harassment claims made by Brenda Tracy are “baseless.”
“I am disappointed but not surprised to learn that MSU intends to terminate my contract over Ms. Tracy’s improper public disclosure of the entire 1200-page investigation file regarding her baseless complaint against me,” the statement read, in part.
“Let’s be clear. I don’t believe MSU plans to fire me because I admitted to an entirely consensual, private relationship with another adult who gave one presentation at MSU, at my behest, over two years ago. A cursory reading of the facts and timeline should cause any fair-minded person to conclude that other motives are at play.”
Mel Tucker fired at Michigan State amid sexual harassment allegations
Tucker alleged Michigan State “ignored its policies” during a “biased investigation” into Tracy’s allegations. He also maintained his stance that his relationship with Tracy was consensual.
“I can only conclude that MSU does not care about my rights, the truth, or its future liability for policing its employees’ private lives,” Tucker said. “Ms. Tracy manufactured false allegations against me. MSU ignored its own policies in pursuing a biased investigation into them. MSU was supposedly going to let that flawed process play out before deciding what to do, but has now reneged on even that. While this miscarriage of justice has devastated me and my family, I find solace in knowing that the investigator concluded we had a ‘personal relationship.’
“Ms. Tracy expressed consent to every facet of our relationship. I look forward to one day obtaining discovery against MSU, including the Trustees and the Athletic Department, to see what they really knew and said about this matter, as well as their motives in handling the entire investigative process. MSU now claims that after having already terminated my employment, it is committed to completing the ‘formal grievance process’ — a process that expressly calls for confidentiality (which MSU publicly acknowledged failing to provide) to determine if I violated any school policy. The public can decide if any of this rings true or fair.”