Michigan State suspends head football coach Mel Tucker; Harlon Barnett serving as interim

Michigan State University has officially suspended head football coach Mel Tucker without pay.

MSU held a 5 p.m. news conference where athletic director Alan Haller officially announced the suspension as well as a series of other moves.

Haller also said he met with the student-athletes on Sunday and announced secondary coach Harlon Barnett will serve as acting head coach and former head coach Mark Dantonio will become an associate head coach.

Dantonio will wear a headset during the game and Haller said when he called the former coach he simply said "Alan, whatever you need. I'm here to help."

MSU interim president Theresa Woodruff also spoke at the brief press conference, saying they prioritize a fair and thorough process.

"In the MSU of today, when any report comes into the university, it is appropriately and rigorously reviewed," Woodruff said.

"This morning's news might sound like the MSU of old; it was not. It is not because an independent unbiased investigation is & continues to be conducted," the interim president said.

The move Sunday afternoon comes after a USA TODAY investigation revealed the 51-year-old Tucker has been accused of sexual misconduct and is involved in a Title IX investigation that is set for a hearing in early October.

The fourth-year head coach is alleged to have masturbated while talking to sexual assault victims advocate Brenda Tracy. Tucker did not deny the incident took place, according to documents in the case. Tracy had been contracted by the school to speak to the MSU football team twice and was an honorary captain at the Spartans' open spring practice April 16, 2022. The alleged phone call took place 12 days later, and Tracy alleged that Tucker canceled her third training session at MSU that was scheduled for July 25, 2022. The two last spoke a week later, Aug. 2, 2022.

Tracy reportedly filed her Title IX complaint in December last year. Tucker was interviewed by an outside Title IX attorney in March, and the investigation was completed in July. The Title IX hearing is scheduled for Oct. 5 and 6, during MSU's bye week.

GRAHAM COUCH: Mel Tucker has likely coached last game at Michigan State after sexual harassment probe

The news came hours after the Spartans defeated Richmond, 45-14, on Saturday in East Lansing to improve to 2-0 this season. Tucker is 20-14 since arriving at MSU in 2020 and 25-21 in five seasons as a head coach. The Spartans went 11-2 and finished in the top 10 in 2021, but Tucker's team missed a bowl game for the second time in his first three seasons by going 5-7 in 2022.

This is a breaking story. Check back for updates at freep.com.

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 suspends head football coach Mel Tucker