After Mel Tucker ban, Mark Dantonio 'excited to be back' with Michigan State football
EAST LANSING — Mel Tucker is out. Mark Dantonio is back. Harlon Barnett is getting his dream opportunity.
In less than 24 hours, the Michigan State football program went from celebrating a victory Saturday night to processing the potential dismissal-for-cause of its leader Sunday.
Athletic director Alan Haller on Sunday afternoon suspended Tucker without pay two games into his fourth season after a USA TODAY investigation revealed the 51-year-old has been accused of sexual misconduct and is involved in a Title IX investigation that is set for a hearing in early October.
Tucker is alleged to have masturbated while talking on the phone to sexual assault victims advocate Brenda Tracy in late 2022. Tucker did not deny the incident took place, according to documents in the case.
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“Interim measures were in place, and those interim measures have been updated,” Haller said Sunday inside the Spartan Stadium media center. “Initially, there was no contact with the complainant (Tracy) and then also increased oversight from me of the program, but then also the coach. It's an ongoing process, and we update those interim measures as we received information. …
“As there have been new developments before the hearing, and with the best interests of everyone, including student-athletes and the university community in mind, I have suspended Mel Tucker without pay as an additional interim measure. While the investigation continues, I made this decision with the support of university leadership.”
Teresa Woodruff, Michigan State University’s soon-to-be outgoing interim president, said the Title IX investigation remains ongoing leading into the scheduled hearing Oct. 5-6. However, both she and Haller cited “new developments” that prompted the decision to suspend Tucker two games into this season after the USA TODAY story was published with details early Sunday morning.
“That investigative process is not complete and had not been referred to AD Haller or the university,” Woodruff said. “That process will not be complete until there is a hearing and a final decision. ...
“The action AD Haller took comes with the full weight of my support. As he shared, these new developments before the formal hearing can impact the case and the community.”
On the field, secondary coach and MSU alum Harlon Barnett will take over as acting head coach, his first time at the helm of a college football program. His former boss, Dantonio, agreed to return to the school he abruptly retired from in 2020 to become Barnett’s associate head coach, Haller said.
“I called coach Dantonio (Sunday) morning,” Haller said. “And his response was, ‘Alan, whatever you need, I'm here to help.’ He was excited to be back.”
Fast fall
The allegations became public a few hours after the Spartans defeated Richmond, 45-14, on Saturday in East Lansing. Tucker is 20-14 since arriving at MSU in 2020 and 25-21 in five seasons as a head coach.
The Cleveland native signed a 10-year, $95-million fully guaranteed contract Nov. 24, 2021 to become one of the highest-paid coaches in all of sports as he was leading the Spartans to an 11-2 season and top-10 finish in his second season after replacing Dantonio.
However, Tucker’s deal has a clause in it that can be invoked based on “moral turpitude,” which would allow MSU to terminate him for cause and not pay the remainder of the deal.
Tucker was introduced to Tracy in August 2021, and the advocate spoke to the Spartan football team that summer and again the following spring. She was an honorary captain for the open MSU spring practice/game April 16, 2022. The phone call in which she alleges Tucker masturbated without her consent reportedly took place April 28, 2022. In Title IX case documents obtained by USA TODAY, Tucker claimed it was consensual phone sex. A scheduled July 2022 MSU return by Tracy was canceled by Tucker, she said.
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Haller said he learned about Tracy’s complaint in December. A third-party, outside investigation was undertaken, and then completed July 25. According to USA TODAY, Tucker eventually interviewed in late March with Rebecca Veidlinger, a Title IX attorney based in Ann Arbor who previously worked for MSU, about the allegations.
The investigation was completed a day before Tucker and Haller were in Indianapolis for Big Ten football media days. Asked why he did not suspend Tucker at that point, Haller said it was due to the Title IX investigation remaining open and ongoing until the upcoming hearing.
“For me, it was working and waiting on the university as it relates to their investigative process and making sure that they were allowed to complete their investigation,” Haller said. “And so although the investigation was completed on the 25th, there's still ongoing processes that still need to be played out.”
The October hearing during the Spartans’ bye week most likely will be the point when MSU can decide whether it can fire Tucker for cause or attempt to arrange some sort of buyout.
The MSU Board of Trustees backed the suspension of Tucker on Sunday.
“The MSU Board of Trustees has been briefed by the Administration on the suspension of Mel Tucker and supports this action," trustees chair Dr. Rema Vassar said in a statement. "We remain committed to a thorough investigation of this matter and to the continued progress needed at MSU for a safer and more supportive university.”
Old faces, new roles
Barnett will get his first chance to be a head coach, albeit on an acting basis, with mentor Dantonio by his side.
The 52-year-old Barnett was a three-year starting defensive back at MSU under coach George Perles from 1986-89 and went on to play seven seasons in the NFL. A native of Cincinnati, Barnett has spent 15 of his 20 years in coaching at his alma mater, including the past four working with the secondary under Tucker and 11 years under Dantonio. He shared defensive coordinator duties with Mike Tressel from 2015-17 and also served as Dantonio’s assistant and associate head coach during those three years before leaving for Florida State.
“Coach Barnett has an incredible connection to our university and takes incredible pride in being a Spartan,” said Haller, a former MSU teammate of Barnett. “He has established relationships with student-athletes and is focused on their well-being first and foremost.
Haller said he told players and coaches Sunday afternoon about the coaching change and Tucker’s suspension. Dantonio is the Spartans’ all-time winningest head coach, with a 114-57 record from 2007-19. His sudden resignation on Feb. 4, 2020, led to MSU hiring Tucker away from Colorado eight days later.
Dantonio is expected to be in East Lansing for work either Monday or Tuesday.
“We're still trying to figure out his role,” Haller said. “But he definitely will wear a headset, either on the sidelines and up in the booth, and he'll offer his knowledge from his coaching career.”
Barnett will make his head coaching debut against No. 8 Washington at 5 p.m. Saturday at Spartan Stadium. The game will be streamed on Peacock, NBC's online streaming service, and will not be broadcast on any television networks.
MSU also plans to honor Dantonio’s 2013 Rose Bowl championship team, one of his three Big Ten titles in 13 seasons as head coach. (He also was an assistant coach for Nick Saban and Bobby Williams with the Spartans from 1995-2000.)
“Coach Dantonio not only is an exceptional football coach and will be a tremendous resource for Harlon,” Haller said. “Both men have a deep love and care for Michigan State football, Spartan athletics, the university and the East Lansing community.”
Contact Chris Solari: csolari@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrissolari.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan State football, Mark Dantonio 'trying to figure out his role'
