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state of michigan Suspended football coach reported Mel Tucker Monday that he will be fired without compensation for misconduct involving activist and rape survivor Brenda Tracy in a sordid case dating back more than a year.
“The notice provides Tucker seven calendar days to respond and present to me and the interim president reasons why he should not be terminated for cause,” athletic director Alan Haller said in a statement released by the school.
If Tucker does not present “sufficient reason to dispute” multiple contract violations, the school will dismiss him on Sept. 26, three days after the Big Ten program’s first game in what was expected to be a bounce-back year for the Spartans.
Tucker is in the third year of a 10-year, $95 million contract and if he is fired for cause, the school would not have to pay him the remainder of his contract. Tucker, his agent and his attorney did not immediately return messages seeking comment.
Haller said the decision does not affect the ongoing investigation into Tracy’s sexual harassment allegations, which is being handled by the school’s civil rights office.
Tracy said Tucker sexually harassed her during a phone call in April 2022. Several months later, Tracy filed a complaint with the school’s Title IX office and the investigation was completed in July. A hearing is scheduled for the week of Oct. 5 to determine whether Tucker violated the school’s sexual exploitation and harassment policy, and a ruling could take up to 60 days.
Tracy’s allegations were made public by USA Today earlier this month. Tucker, 51, who said he is separated from his wife and has two children, said the allegations against him are “completely false.” Tucker insisted that the intimate phone call he had with Tracy was consensual and outside the scope of both Title IX and school policy.
The school, however, said the actions Tucker acknowledged were unprofessional and unethical. He told Tucker he is being fired for “breaches” of his contract and for engaging “in any conduct that constitutes moral turpitude or that, in the sole judgment of the university, would tend to bring disrespect, contempt, or public ridicule upon the university.” “.
Tracy is known for her work. with college teams educating athletes about sexual violence. Michigan State paid him $10,000 to share his story with the football team.
The Spartans (2-1) were defeated 41-7 by No. 8 Washington Saturday in Harlon Barnett’s debut as interim coach. Michigan State hosts Maryland (3-0) on Saturday.
Tucker began his coaching career under Nick Saban as a graduate assistant for the Spartans in 1997. He returned to the school with one of the biggest contracts in college sports after leading Colorado for one season and serving as an assistant coach at Georgia, Alabama and Ohio State.
Tucker also worked in the NFL, leading the Jacksonville Jaguars as interim coach during the 2011 season.
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AP College Football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll
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