Michigan State Coach Mel Tucker Suspended in the Midst of Sexual Harassment Investigation

Michigan State University head football coach Mel Tucker has been suspended. The suspension comes following the news that he's the subject of a specific MSU Title IX investigation into allegations of sexual harassment, MSU announced Sunday (Sept. 10). According to a release, Mel Tucker is suspended without pay pending the result of the MSU's investigation. The hearing will start Oct. 5.

While Tucker is gone, secondary coach Harlon Barnett will step in as acting head coach. Also, Mark Dantonio will assist him. Spartan fans know Dantonio as one of the most successful MSU football coaches of all time. Dantonio will serve as on-field assistant for MSU.

According to a release, Brenda Tracy filed a complaint in December 2022. Tracy is a rape survivor and activist against sexual violence. In the complaint, she accused Tucker of making sexually suggestive comments and masturbating as she "sat frozen for several minutes" during a phone call. That call took place, she stated, on April 28, 2022. She shared the details with USA Today, stating that she went to MSU at least three times as an activist beginning in 2021 and got to know Tucker there. Back in 1998, Tracy was gang raped by four men, three college football players and a recruit. Since then, as aforementioned, she's become an activist against sexual violence.

"The idea that someone could know me and say they understand my trauma but then re-inflict that trauma on me is so disgusting to me, it's hard for me to even wrap my mind around it," Tracy told USA Today. "It's like he sought me out just to betray me."

Tucker has responded, too. "Ms. Tracy's distortion of our mutually consensual and intimate relationship into allegations of sexual exploitations has really affected me," Tucker wrote in a letter to the investigator USA Today obtained. "I am not proud of my judgement and I am having difficulty forgiving myself for getting into this situation, but I did not engage in misconduct by any definition."

The Detroit Lions are one of the most buzzed-about teams in the NFL right now. I'm so excited for the upcoming NFL season. It all kicks off with the Detroit Lions against Superbowl Champions the Kansas City Chiefs on Sept. 7. Pop that popcorn. Also, drink that blue Kool-Aid. I'm lining up guests for the new season of "The Squad with Anne Erickson," and we have some great people booked. I’m ready with a new season of my sports podcast. Subscribe to “The Squad with Anne Erickson” wherever you listen to podcasts. Reach out to me with your NFL insights here, and I'd love to include your thoughts on my show. Let's get to know the initial 53-man roster for 2023.

So, who will we see on the field this season? The initial lineup is set. Of course, this will change throughout the season, but this is the initial crew. No matter who's playing, there’s something different about the Detroit Lions this season, and it’s in a good way. For the first time in many years, there’s a respect for the Lions that just hasn’t been there.

When it comes to the roster, Jared Goff is one of the key pieces of the puzzle. He had a rough first year with the Lions in 2021. But, Goff was great last season and had some of the best stats in the NFL towards the end of the season. He still has a strong offense on the team, so if he picks up where he left off last season, then we're golden. We also have a solid defense and offense. We're not really rated as the "best" in any of these categories, but all of our positions are good enough to make us one of the strongest teams in the NFL. I'm not happy that summer is ending, but I'm happy that football is starting up.

This year's quarterbacks are Jared Goff, who is the starting quarterback, of course, along with Teddy Bridgewater and Hendon Hooker. We have a solid crew here. I'm a Goff believer.

This year's wide receivers include Amon-Ra St. Brown, Josh Reynolds, Kalif Raymond, Marvin Jones, Jameson Williams and Antoine Green. Sadly, Williams will miss the first several games due to gambling violations.

We're strong here. This year's running backs include David Montgomery, Jahmyr Gibbs and Jason Cabinda (FB). This is a solid roster. It's great to get Montgomery from the Bears.

We need some help in this area, but this year's lineup seems strong. This year's tight ends include Sam LaPorta, Brock Wright and James Mitchell.

Let's go get it! This year's offensive line includes Taylor Decker, Penei Sewell, Frank Ragnow, Jonah Jackson, Graham Glasgow, Halapoulivaati Vaitai, Colby Sorsdal and Matt Nelson. That's a good showing.

Let's look at the positions of EDGE and tackles. We have Alim McNeill, Isaiah Buggs, Brodric Martin, Levi Onwuzurike, Benito Jones, Aidan Hutchinson, Charles Harris, Josh Paschal, John Cominsky, James Houston, Romeo Okwara and Julian Okwara. It's a solid list.

Let's check out our linebackers and defensive backs. We have Alex Anzalone, Jack Campbell, Derrick Barnes, Malcolm Rodriguez, Jalen Reeves-Maybin, Anthony Pittman, Cam Sutton, Jerry Jacobs, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Emmanuel Moseley, Kerby Joseph, Tracy Walker, Brian Branch, Will Harris, Khalil Dorsey, Steven Gilmore and Ifeatu Melifonwu. Many of these are familiar names.

Don't forget these guys. We also have Jack Fox, Scott Daly and Riley Patterson. In the fold. So, there you have it. Our initial lineup. Let's keep everyone healthy and winning.