Vacated wins part of penalty for Michigan State football rules violations under former head coach Mel Tucker

The Michigan State football program will serve three years of probation, vacate wins, pay fines, and have limitations in both on and off campus recruiting as the result of NCAA rules violations committed under former head coach Mel Tucker.

The penalties are part of negotiated settlement between Michigan State University and the NCAA’S committee on Infractions. University resident Kevin Guskiewicz and athletic director J Batt issued the following joint statement on Wednesday.  

“Today’s announcement brings closure to an NCAA investigation resulting from violations committed by a previous staff. Michigan State pursued a negotiated resolution to minimize the penalties and limit the possible impact on our current football student-athletes and staff, who were not involved in the violations. With this matter behind us, we are able to move forward, focusing on the present and future of Spartan football.”

 “Michigan State athletics is committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and operating in compliance with NCAA rules. Our compliance systems worked as intended. Once Michigan State became aware of a level 3 violation, we self-reported and followed all appropriate protocols. This prompt self-disclosure and acceptance of responsibility for the violations mitigated the case and penalties, even as new violations and corroborating evidence were uncovered during the subsequent investigation.

 “While we accept the NCAA’s findings and respect the process, we are disappointed in the prescribed penalty related to the vacation of records. We understand that the enforcement process follows established guidelines, but we also recognize the opportunity for continued modernization.”

 With Michigan State cooperating fully, the NCAA Committee on Infractions determined that Tucker’s staff knowingly committed numerous rule violations. Those violations included impermissible recruiting inducements and benefits as well as financial compensation for unofficial visit expenses. Tucker’s staff also engaged in impermissible contact with prospective student-athletes.

The NCAA released a summary report of its findings with regard to rules violations committed during Tucker’s tenure on Wednesday. In that report, former Michigan State assistant coach Brandon Jordan and director of recruiting Saeed Khalif were both named as having knowingly committed rules violations.

Impermissible financial inducements included improper travel expenses for unofficial visits to six former recruiting targets and their families. Three of the recruiting targets that received impermissible benefits played a total of 26 games at Michigan State. Michigan State has greed to vacate all victories during the 2022, 2023 and 2024 seasons.

Jordan was hired as a pass-rush specialist by Tucker. Brandon later left Michigan State to take job in the NFL with the Seattle Seahawks. Khalif joined the Michigan State coaching staff after spending four years as the director of personnel at Wisconsin. Khalif held the title of general manager on Tucker’s staff.

Both Khalif and Jordan refused to cooperate with the investigation according to the NCAA report. Tucker contested his responsibility during a hearing. Khalif received a six-year show cause penalty for NCAA rules violations. Jordan received a five-year show cause penalty.

No current Michigan State players or coaches were implicated or coaches were implicated in the rules violations committed during Tucker’s tenure as football coach.

The settlement between Michigan State and the NCAA requires the Spartan football program to pay a fine of $30,000, plus 1.5% of the football program budget.

The settlement also included a significant reduction in unofficial visit days and official visits day, and in-person off-campus recruiting through the 2027-2028 academic year.

Michigan State will offer no further public comment on the matter.