Michigan State football coach Mel Tucker, a Cleveland Heights native, investigated for sexual harassment
Mel Tucker #MelTucker
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Mel Tucker brought Michigan State to Ohio Stadium in 2021 as one of the biggest success stories in college football.
The Cleveland Heights native and former Buckeye and Browns assistant had in his second season pushed the Spartans into the national top 10. That week, he agreed to a 10-year contract worth $95 million. Ohio State won that day in a romp, but Tucker and Michigan State were poised for a bright future.
Tucker may not make his next scheduled trip to Ohio Stadium on Nov. 11. According to a USA Today report, Michigan State has been investigating a Title IX complaint filed against Tucker by a well-known advocate for sexual assault education.
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Brenda Tracy, a gang rape survivor who speaks to college teams across the country about the subject, said Tucker engaged in non-consensual phone sex in an April 28, 2022, phone call. According to the report, Tracy said in her complaint that Tucker made sexual comments about her and pleasured himself while she “sat frozen.”
Tucker confirmed to investigators that he engaged in those actions during the call, but characterized the incident as consensual.
“Ms. Tracy’s distortion of our mutually consensual and intimate relationship into allegations of sexual exploitation has really affected me,” Tucker wrote in a March 22 letter to the investigator. “I am not proud of my judgment and I am having difficulty forgiving myself for getting into this situation, but I did not engage in misconduct by any definition.”
According to the report, Michigan State hired an outside lawyer for a Title IX investigation, which concluded in July. A heading on whether Tucker violated the university’s policy banning sexual harassment and exploitation is scheduled for MSU’s bye week, October 5-6.
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Tracy was gang raped by four football players — two from Oregon State, one from a junior college and one a high school prospect — in 1998. Since 2014 she has been an advocate for rape victims and led educational programs for men on eliminating rape culture from college sports. Tucker had brought her to Michigan State’s campus on three occasions.
USA Today said Tracy shared more than 1,200 pages of case documents with its reporters.
This is not the first time in recent years that accusations of sexual misconduct have stained Michigan State athletics. Former USA Gymnastics and Spartans team doctor Larry Nassar is currently serving a minimum 100-year prison sentence for sexually assaulting more than 300 female athletes. Michigan State leaders failed to intervene on complaints against Nassar for years. Athletes in both the football and men’s basketball programs have face sexual assault allegations in the past two decades.
The 10-year, $95 million contract Tucker signed in November 2021 came fully guaranteed. The only out for the university came via a clause saying Tucker could be fired for cause for “conduct which, in the University’s reasonable judgment, would tend to bring public disrespect, contempt or ridicule on the University.”
If the university cites this investigation as reason to fire Tucker, he could lose out on the approximately $80 million remaining on the deal. Or it could trigger a legal fight.
The USA Today report details how Tracy and Tucker grew closer over the course of their professional relationship, their differing accounts of the call in question and Tucker’s attempts to end the investigation through his lawyer. Tracy alleged that lawyer twice contacted her own to propose settlements, which she refused.
Michigan State is 2-0 with a Saturday home game against No. 8 Washington up next. As these allegations come to light, it remains to be seen whether he will be on the sidelines for that game, or any others.
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